You Wear Insanity Well
by Sakurablossom009
Summary: AU. :sequel to Hit the Floor Running: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby." On Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Authors Note:** So here's the deal y'all. After posting the epilogue, I got mixed reviews from you as to whether or not I should do a sequel. I respect those who encouraged me to write another, but I also respect those who enjoyed the first so much that they were worried as to whether a sequel would live up its name or not. So as a response to both sides, I am going to post up the first chapter and let you decide.** If I can get 20 positive reviews or more, I'll continue on and write a sequel.** Sound good? Hope you enjoy it!

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01: Tell Me Goodbye  
_(In order to protect you, there's really no other way)_

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_Rome, Italy  
20:01 UTC_

"Motherfucking hell!"

Kakashi dropped to his knees, the sound muffled as they hit the carpeted floor. His normally dull eyes were now wide with terror. Blood permeated the air, the smell so intense as it infiltrated his nose that he thought he would vomit right then and there. Sasuke stood beside him, his mouth slightly agape and his pale skin had turned as white as a sheet. He cleared his throat and rapidly blinked his eyes in attempt to regain control of his senses. He was an Uchiha, goddammit, he needed to pull himself together. Stay professional.

He turned to a slight man beside him, his expression a mirror of what Sasuke's had been a moment before._ "Check the place for any signs of break in's. Get this whole place dusted for finger prints as soon as possible; and make sure the _polizia_ stay the fuck out of there. This is our case now."_ Sasuke demanded harshly, breaking the man out of his daze. The man gulped, a sheen of sweat visible on his forehead before he scurried off and out the door.

Sasuke sighed, putting his hand over his face. A baby's cry rang throughout the house, stopping all the Interpol agents in their tracks.

"Fuck." Kakakshi swore again. The older man squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to erase the sight before him that had all too quickly emblazoned itself in his mind.

Running a hand through his spiky black hair, Sasuke put a comforting hand on his superior's shoulder. Kakashi bristled slightly at the touch, but did nothing to shake off Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke sighed again, and closed his eyes. "Gai." He called out, his voice wary.

"Sasuke?" Said the older man, stepping forward. Maito Gai's usually cheerful face was somber as he looked at Sasuke. The man looked years older than he actually was and his eyes looked as if they had seen too much.

_"Take…get Hatake out of here."_ Said Sasuke gently. _"Then could you…could you call President Hiruzen? It won't be a pleasant call but…"_ He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

The older man put a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder. _"Don't worry. C'mon Kakashi."_ Said Gai, stepping past Sasuke and stooping to pull the grey haired man up. _"Let's get you out of here, we can get a smoke outside."_

Kaashi limply got up as Gai guided him. _"You don't smoke."_ He said feebly.

_"I think I can let it slide this once."_ Said Gai, traces of a smile appearing on his face. He held Kakashi gently by the shoulders, leading the younger man out the door.

_"Take care of my friend."_ Kakashi whispered faintly as he was guided out the door and into the night by Gai. Although it was faint, Sasuke heard his words carried through the chaos around him. He would make sure he would.

Sasuke turned around, finally analyzing the scene around him. His dark eyes turned calculating as he surveyed the area. Blood was spattered everywhere, on the walls and on the floor. It had pooled into ugly dark puddles around each of the victims head. The woman was lying face down on the floor, and ugly bullet wound marring her head. Her once beautiful, shiny chestnut colored hair had become matted and sticky with blood that had spattered out. Judging from the blood sprays, it had ripped right through her head. She had been shot from behind. Hadn't even known it was coming for her.

Turning away from the woman, Sasuke walked a few paces to where the next victim was lying. The man was lying in a crumpled heap on his side. Blood had leaked from the bullet wound in the side of his head and had dripped down his face. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to hide the terrified, maniacal expression on his face. In his left hand, the man was loosely gripping a revolver.

Sasuke paused for the second time, wiping his forehead with his hand. A silver wedding band glinted on his finger under the harsh lighting in the room.

"Asuma." Said Sasuke, his face uncharacteristically concerned. _"How could you have done this to yourself?"_

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:00 UTC_

"Mom, do you think you can call back later?" A weary Sakura Haruno asked as she collapsed back onto a sofa, fanning herself with her other hand. She rested her head against the couch's headrest and gave her eyes a dramatic roll. Out of all the times her mother could call, she always managed to call at the most inconvenient times.

"Sakura!" Her mother reprimanded. "I haven't seen my only daughter in nearly forever and now you expect to give up my calling rights too? I don't think so young lady!"

Sakura sighed and scratched her forehead, succumbing to her mother's will. The headache that she would get if she didn't was so not worth it right now.

"Alright fine Mom, how are you doing?" Sakura adjusted her position so that she was lying on the couch and closed her eyes as she listened to her mother prattle on relentlessly about what she had been doing with her days and what she heard the local grocer say about her neighbor and other useless small town gossip.

In all honesty, Sakura could care less about the things her mother was talking about. Sakura loved her mom to bits, but she couldn't help but feel a slight disconnect. Sakura felt as if she had left small town drama and gossip in her past a very long time ago. If she had been asked a year ago about anything concerning such, she would have happily divulged any secrets she knew and then would have listened with rapture to what new gossip she could learn, but now, it was the farthest thing from Sakura's mind.

"So enough about me." Said Mrs. Haruno, breaking into Sakura's thinking. "Tell me about yourself. I haven't seen my only daughter in a year!" She cried.

"I'm fine Mom." Sakura replied. "Don't be so dramatic."

"I'm not being dramatic." Said her mother airily. "How is that boy, you know, the one you said you were seeing…" Her mother said, sounding less than enthused.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "His name is Naruto mom, and if you're going to have such an attitude about it, then why did you even bring him up in the first place?" Sakura asked angrily.

"Oh sweetie, it's not that…" Her mother said apologetically. "It's just that you just broke off your engagement to Sasuke so quickly...don't you think you need some time, you're just not…rebounding back?" Her mother asked hesitantly.

Sakura sat up straighter and moved her phone to her left hand. "No mom, it's not like that. I love him, and besides, Sasuke broke off the engagement remember?"

"Well…technically yes." Replied her mother. "But you said you loved Sasuke too. How can we really know if this time is different? We haven't even met the boy."

"Trust me mom." Said Sakura, putting emphasis in her voice. "This time it's different."

Sakura plopped her head back on the couch. Her mother just didn't understand. Naruto was so different from Sasuke and so was the way she felt about him. What Sakura couldn't understand was why her mother was giving her so much flack when Sasuke was married already. Not that Sakura doubted Sasuke and Hinata's feelings for each other in the slightest. Hinata proved to be a world class and dedicated friend to Sakura so far and kept in touch often. Sakura knew her and Sasuke were doing perfectly together.

"Well maybe if we spoke to Naruto...that would be a nice little chat right?" Her mother asked sweetly.

Sakura closed her eyes and put her hand over them. "Sorry mom." She replied, although she wasn't sorry in the slightest. "Naruto's not home right now."

Sakura was only half listening to her mother go on about how sorry she was when she heard the front door bang open.

"You know," Replied a voice moments later. "You look kinda sexy when you're all sweaty."

Sakura's heartbeat started to race as she interrupted her mother on the phone. "Hey mom, listen, I'm sorry but I have to talk to you later. Love you, bye." She said rapidly before snapping her phone shut.

Before even lifting her hand from her eyes, she took the pillow out from behind her head and chucked it at the voice. She heard an oof and knew it made contact.

"Nasty pervert." She said grinning as she lifted her hand a little.

"Hey," Said Naruto complaining as he fell down onto the couch beside her. "I said that with 100% love in my voice."

"Hmm…" Said Sakura sitting up and looking thoughtful. "Maybe we should work on that." She said before leaning forward and kissing the tip of Naruto's nose.

Sakura gave her arms a stretch before she got up off the couch. "I'm gonna go take a shower ok?" She called out to Naruto.

"Can I join you?" Asked Naruto, as he claimed the whole couch for himself and grabbed the remote off the small table in front of him.

"No!" Shouted Sakura. "I just don't understand why it needs to be so damn humid here." She complained.

"Uhh…because it's Morocco…" Naruto replied back as he switched on the small TV. Although small, the TV happened to be Naruto's pride and joy. He had managed to snatch a cable signal from a tenet downstairs enabling him and Sakura with all fifty channels. Not the best deal, but Naruto would take what he could get.

As Naruto flipped through the channels, he lamented on his easygoing life. A few years ago, Naruto wouldn't have thought it possible for him to have a life like this. But the past six months for him had been an easy bliss. With the ITP disbanded and his thieving days put to an end, Naruto had more than enough time on his hands. He could settle down in one place and not be worried about assassins coming to find him. Living with Sakura on the other hand, well that was a challenge, but a challenge he was willing to take.

He had never before met a woman that he wanted to be with for an extended period of time. But, Sakura wasn't much like the women he had been with before. In fact, he and Sakura fought half the time, but it was all in good nature. But this new found relationship also scared him sometimes. He wanted to give Sakura everything that she ever dreamed of, but he didn't know if he was the right person for that job. The most that he could do was support her in all of her decisions.

They had stayed in New York for two months in the brownstone that Sakura and Sasuke owned. In that time, Sakura applied and successfully made it into the Doctors without Borders program. Sakura sold the brownstone (and dutifully gave Sasuke half of what she made) before moving across the globe, attending positions where she was needed. They had been in Morocco for three months already. Naruto had settled for a nice boring security guard position at a local business building. Neji had been kind enough to provide Naruto with some work history paper work. All in all, it was the most boring job Naruto had ever taken but he loved every minute of it.

Naruto twirled the remote around in his hand as he stared at an anchor man report the news, not understanding a word of the rapid Arabic the man was speaking.

"Maybe I should learn more languages." Mused Naruto to himself. It certainly would pass the time he spent sitting behind a desk more entertaining.

"Learn another language? That's intriguing." Sakura's voice drifted to him.

"Done already?" Naruto drawled, not bothering to look at her.

"Yep. So you can get your smelly ass in there now." She quipped. Sakura opened the shabby refidgerator that was in the kitchen with a creak and stooped to look inside, welcoming the cold blast of air that hit her in the face.

Naruto grinned, a cunning grin that made him resemble a fox, and sprang off the couch, surprising Sakura who gave a yelp before standing erect.

"Jeez!" Shrieked Sakura as Naruto's arms wrapped around her neck.

"What did you say about me?" Naruto asked, his voice low as it murmured in her ear. Sakura blushed as she felt his hot breath against her cheek.

"Smelly ass." Said Sakura, careful to enunciate every word clearly. She could feel his heart pounding against her back and she noted with some amount of glee that his heartbeat seemed to be just as erratic as hers was beginning to be.

"Hmm…" Said Naruto.

Sakura blushed a deeper red and let out a yelp as she felt Naruto's calloused hand travel up her bare thigh. 'Note to self,' Thought Sakura absentmindedly, 'Never wear long plain white T-shirts in Naruto presence.'

Naruto's nose was now trailing along her neck and his hand was tracing small circles along her thigh. "I suppose I _could _go take a shower, then I would smell as good as you." His nose traveled up the length of her neck and buried itself in her hair. She heard Naruto take a huge intake of breath. There was a low growl deep in his throat. The sound sent shivers down her spine.

"You wish." Growled Sakura. She quickly ducked out of Naruto's grasp and spun around, surprising the blond man. He took a surprised step back as Sakura grabbed hold of the front of his T-shirt and yanked him forward, pressing her lips aggressively to his.

Naruto grinned under her kiss as she felt her slender hands slide between the locks of his hair. Taking control, he backed Sakura up, pressing her against the fridge. The shabby fridge rocked backward slightly under the force.

Sakura broke away from Naruto, her breathing labored. "How did you get to be such a good kisser?" She asked breathlessly, her mouth at his ear.

"Years of experienced practice." Naruto purred as his hands dropped from her waist. She felt his hands playing with the hem of her T-shirt. A red blush rose to Sakura's cheeks.

"That's disgusting." She countered.

"Mmm, you know that _you're _the only one I want to kiss though." He murmured, his hands traveling dangerously high up the backs of her thighs. "Your blush is beautiful."

Sakura buried her face in Naruto's shirt as her blush reddened. "You're so cheesy!"

"I'm Italian, of course I am." Naruto murmured, his lips once again pressed to her skin as they trailed down her neck toward the neckline of her shirt. Sakura's heart was beginning to pound manically in her chest, just waiting to be released. She felt Naruto's hands slip up the back of her T-shirt and she suppressed a moan that was building in her throat. Taking two handfuls of Naruto's shirt, he pulled him tight to her, holding on to him for support as his kisses sent her further into a frenzy.

Just as she was about to breathlessly suggest they take it to the couch, Sakura's cell phone jangled loudly from the living room, belting out the theme song to Magnum P.I.

Naruto groaned, his hands dropping away from Sakura instantly as he reluctantly pulled himself away from a flushed Sakura. "Whoever it is has the worse timing in the history of earth!" Naruto grieved as Sakura shook her head, putting a hand to her heart before pulling away from the fridge.

"Why is that ridiculous song your ringtone again?" Naruto asked, keeping the aggravation out of his voice as he ripped the fridge door open and dug inside for a jug of orange juice.

"Because," Ground out Sakura sourly, as if she too were angry at the interruption, "I loved that show as a kid. Plus, Tom Selleck was totally hot."

Naruto made a face, knowing that he would punish her for that comment later.

Sakura snatched her cell phone from where she last placed it. "Goddammit Mom, it better not be you!" She roared before flipping it open.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_23:20 UTC_

Images, dark and fanatical images floated in and out of her vision, poking and prodding her with sharp and pointy objects that were meant to hurt her. She cried out and ran, only to trip and fall. Stumbling up, her knees were bloody and were sprouting blood like there was no tomorrow. She was slipping, falling, choking on her own blood as it spewed out in never ending waves, tormenting and agonizing her. Someone was out there, wailing in the background. It was a deep, depressing sort of tune that reminded her of everything she had ever lost, mournfully beautiful that only served as a contrast to the high pitched and keening laughter that accompanied it, reminding her of everything she would lose. Only after she had finished drowning in her own blood did she realize the sounds were coming from her…

"Hinata!"

Hinata jarred awake, her beautiful pearly eyes snapping open as she nearly jumped out of her seat. Gasping, her hands flew to her chest where her heart was pounding wildly as her eyes went to her knees.

They were clean, respectably sheathed in creased grey trousers. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

A warm hand touched her shoulder and Hinata jumped again before turning to face the person who woke her. Kiba was staring down at Hinata quizzically, concern painted in his warm brown eyes.

"Oh Kiba." Hinata breathed as she attempted to slow her racing heart. "You scared me." She murmured.

"I called your name at least ten times." Kiba said, his voice sounding troubled. "You must have been in a deep sleep."

Hinata looked away. Had she? She couldn't recall. Her brain produced fuzzy images, things that could have been dreams, but she didn't quite remember. Once again, Hinata's gaze dropped down to her knees and she couldn't help but feel confused.

Kiba's hand shook Hinata's shoulder and she snapped out of her daze once again. "Oh, sorry, Kiba." She replied sheepishly.

Kiba crossed his arms over his chest. "Your tired, that much is clear." He said, sounding very bit as much as a concerned parent. "You should really get home, as a married woman, don't you now have certain…obligations to your husband?" Kiba waggled his eyebrows, causing Hinata to blush. "Can't have your spending all your time here."

Hinata didn't respond, instead opting to smack Kiba in the shoulder. Kiba let out a good natured laugh, which did wonders in easing Hinata's nerves. Why was she so tense?

"Go home!" Kiba said, still laughing. "That's an order. God knows your husband needs some quality time after…" Kiba's face suddenly dropped and he turned away, regretting his words. "Well…after what happened to Asuma…"

Hinata cast her eyes downward. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she stood up, brushing off her pants. "I will go home now, thank you Kiba."

Kiba turned back toward Hinata, and gave her a small, but genuine smile. "Just be safe Hinata. Get some sleep. I've seen you dozing off a lot around here lately."

Hinata gave Kiba a warm smile as she collected her things from her desk. "You should go home too, Kiba. I'm sure you have...ah...certain obligations to your new girlfriend as well." She murmured, keeping her face perfectly straight.

"Hinata!" Kiba exclaimed, looking positively shocked at the innuendo. Hinata only let out a small giggle, a perfect and clear sounding noise and waved goodbye to her friend before moving out off the office, her heels clicking on the tiles.

Kiba, still chuckling, watched Hinata go, wondering when she managed to grow so bold. His thoughts traveled back to when he found Hinata dozing off at her desk, her face contorted as if she were pain. The smile faded from Kiba's face and he suddenly felt very worried.

The autumn wind rustled through Hinata's long locks of hair, which she had pinned back messily with a few bobby pins. Her scarf was hastily wrapped around her neck as she dug through her purse for her car keys. It wasn't that her purse was massivley large - goodness, then for sure she would never find anything, yet she could still never seem to find what she was looking for.

Finally fishing her keys out, she approched her car - a sleek white 2010 Audi coupe that Sasuke had insisted on her driving. While Hinata had protested with her husband that she would much rather continue driving her old and comfortable 2000 model Mercedes, Sasuke would not have it. Hinata had dutfully accepted, although she had felt very out of place driving the newer and sleeker car. While the Hyuuga's obviously had more money than they quite knew what to do with, they preferred to spend their old money on things of comfort that tended to be less ostientatious. The Uchiha, however, were quite apt and willing to flaunt their money.

As the doors clicked open with an audible snap and the light blinked, Hinata glanced out toward the darkned Italian sky. What she saw in front of her, however, was enough to make her drop her keys onto the pavement and let out a horrified scream.


	2. Chapter 2

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."  
**Notes:** **20 reviews was a success! Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the latest installment. I apologize if this chapter will need to be edited later on as I haven't mapped the entire story out. But this is for you guys since you deserve it :) Please Review!**

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02: Secret  
_(But can they keep it, oh no they can't)

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_

_Tangier, Morocco  
11:30 UTC_

Naruto reclined back in his chair, kicking his feet up loudly on the desk before him, enjoying the cool atmosphere an office building with air condition had to offer on a hot Moroccan day. Beside him, his partner's eyes were transfixed eerily on the black Nintendo DS that he held diligently in his hands, his thumbs twiddling away. Naruto chuckled to himself, wishing that he could get lost in the video game world. Perhaps it had once been an option, but after living a hardened life on the streets, video games just couldn't hold that lure to him.

Naruto clasped one hand behind his head as he dug his phone out of his pocket, a newly purchased HTC Evo and busied himself flicking through the day's top news stories. It was a rather typical day in the office for him and his partner. Not many people came through and when they did, they abided by the rules. Really, the position of 'security' was actually a giant joke. Naruto suspected that if he kept this position, his slim and fit physique would soon cease to exist.

The sound of the revolving door swishing, accompanied by a warm gust of wind from the outside alerted Naruto that someone had come in, yet he did nothing to change his position or even look up. The sound of shoes clacking on the clean polished floors came to a stop in front of the security desk. With a bored monotone that would make any telemarketer or secretary proud, Naruto began his spiel.

"Morning, welcome to Simmons and Mercer Architectural Firm. Please sign the guest book in front of you with your full name, date and time before reporting who you are here to see. After receiving your I.D from my partner here, please proceed down the hall to the elevators on your left and take them to the floor as indicated on your I.D. The secretary there will phone in your appointment." Naruto rattled off, his eyes not leaving his phone. Really, there was no use as security cameras would give him playback of this interaction anyway.

There was a slight murmur of amusement. "If I'm here to see you, am I still required to fill out the sign in sheet?" A suave male voice asked.

Naruto's partner beside him, a young man around Naruto's age with golden brown skin and curly black hair looked up from his DS and looked at Naruto expectantly, his eyebrows quizzically raised. Naruto's fingers froze over his phone and his blue eyes drifted up to look at the man before him. What he saw, however, didn't make him pleased. "Shit." He murmured, pulling his feet off the desk as he sat up.

Beside him, his partner reached for the phone that was situated on the desk. Naruto quickly waved him off as he stood up. "Neji? What are you doing here?"

Neji gave Naruto a brief smile on his pale, smooth face. His brown hair, significantly shorter compared to the last time Naruto saw him, was efficiently pulled away from his face and gathered into a low pony tail at the base of his neck. He was wearing a crisp white button up shirt with a light beige jacket and pants. An expensive Italian leather belt encircled his waist.

"Well…" He said, lifting his arm to pull away the sleeve of his jacket, revealing a small watch with a well worn leather band. Neji briefly glanced at it before turning his pearly eyes on Naruto once again. "I'm here to ask you out to lunch I guess. There are some things I want to discuss with you."

Naruto bit his lip before glancing at his partner. He gave him a swift nod. "I suppose that would be ok." Naruto muttered as he walked out from around the desk. His eyes were wary as he followed Neji out of the cool comfort of the air conditioned building and into the already sweltering heat under the Moroccan sun.

"Are you a fan of Moroccan food?" Neji asked amicably, his hands shoved in his pockets as he and Naruto walked along. "If not, I think there is a rather nice American Bistro…"

"Why are you here Neji?" Naruto asked, breaking through the comforting atmosphere Neji had been attempting to set up. Naruto wasn't very pleased about Neji being here. It wasn't that he didn't like Neji, in fact he was quite fond of the guy. After all, anyone who could piss one Sasuke Uchiha off was a swell guy in his book. But Neji, after the ITP incident, was a full fledged CIA agent once again. Call Naruto crazy, but would anyone actually be happy to find the CIA on their doorstep?

"I think the American Bistro will do quite nicely." Neji replied instead, neatly dodging Naruto's question.

Naruto sighed and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his stiff brown pants. So Neji didn't want to talk just yet. Fine. Naruto followed Neji down the crowded and frenzied streets of Tangier, wondering how exactly the man knew his way around the city better than he did.

Neji led Naruto to a quaint bistro inside the Grand Socco, pots of flowers dotting the area, brightly coloring the area. Neji quickly seated himself at one of the outside tables, as if he frequented the place often. Naruto sometimes had to wonder at the audacity of the rich…or anyone in government. Naruto joined Neji at the table, loosening the collar around his neck. Luckily, the table Neji had chose was facing the Tangier Bay, meaning a comforting breeze filtered through the area.

Neji was already comfortably sipping on chilled bottle water and Naruto had a beer in his hand, lunch already in the process of coming before he decided to talk about his true intentions for visiting.

"You sure you should be drinking on the job?" Neji asked skeptically. "I don't think your company wants the liability of you drunkenly shooting someone."

"Right." Said Naruto rolling his blue eyes. "Because I'm packing heavy." He said, flipping a stun gun out of his pouch. He twirled it around his fingers as Neji bit back his amusement. Naruto stowed it away before taking another sip of his beer. "Enough stalling, Hyuuga." He said, his voice suddenly serious. If Neji was reporting a threat against him and Sakura, he needed to know.

Neji closed his eyes briefly and smoothed a hand over his hair. "It's the ITP."

Naruto blanched and put his beer down rather harshly. "They're coming for me aren't they? For me and Sakura, the remaining ones…Shit I should have known…" Naruto said, his hands clenching into fists.

"No, it's not that!" Neji said, alarm coming into his voice as his eyes snapped open. "It's about the ITP, but it doesn't relate to you, relax."

"Sorry," Grumbled Naruto, "If I become a little tense when you mention the organization that ruined my life."

Traces of a smile ghosted over Neji's features. "A little touchy are we?"

"A little." Said Naruto. "Can you blame me?"

Neji shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought you would be pleased to hear the round up attempts have gone rather well actually. In fact, Orochimaru succumbed to his injuries a few months ago. He contracted pneumonia."

Naruto smirked. "The poor bastard."

"Orochimaru's right hand man, Kabuto, is still alive however. We know he's harboring a lot of secrets, but the stingy son of a bitch still refuses to talk. He didn't react much to news of Orochimaru's death, so we still aren't sure what he still has to hide by keeping information from us."

"I'm sure you offered him generous compensation in order to turn him into an asset didn't you?" Naruto mused.

Neji gave Naruto a wry smile. "I offered to allow him to keep his life, in exchange for the information, but it appears that isn't generous enough."

Naruto laughed, feeling a bit more at ease. "We've managed to subdue most of the agents," Neji continued. "There are a few who have continued to elude us. I doubt they know anything about your hand in ITP's take down." Consoled Neji.

Naruto felt his heart lighten considerably and he allowed himself a cheeky smile. "Great then, fucking fabulous." He said, leaning back and taking a quick chug of beer.

Neji's face, however, didn't express the same sort of relief. If Naruto hadn't been so lost and walking on cloud nine, he would have noticed that Neji's expression almost seemed to darken.

"Naruto…" Said Neji, breaking the blond haired man out of his reverie, "Do you remember any missions that you went on, who your targets were?"

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows. "Why do you ask?"

Neji clicked his well manicured fingers against his water bottle. "We retrieved a lot of files, mission files detailing most of the assassinations that were carried out. Yours, however, were missing."

"Hm." Said Naruto thoughtfully. "Probably burned them. To erase all evidence that I ever existed after I was terminated." He mused. "Not surprising."

"But you did go on missions, didn't you?" Asked Neji, pressing. "Were your targets politicians or national enemies…?"

Naruto sighed. "I was only activated for one mission actually. A handler went with me since I was only…six at the time, I think. I actually don't remember much."

Neji clasped his hands in front of him, almost exasperated. "It's really pertinent that you remember."

Naruto's eyebrows narrowed. "What the hell is this about?"

Neji let out a deep sigh and Naruto sat forward, getting the feeling that Neji was about to delve into a deep story that he did not want to hear.

"When we purged ITP's files, we came across a number of financial documents. Lists of off-shore bank accounts, numerous high priced financial transactions…"

"Well, the clients had to pay some how right?" Asked Naruto, not seeing the point.

"Client." Corrected Neji. "There was only one."

"…What?" Asked Naruto, noting how extremely odd Neji's statement just sounded. It was practically impossible for any hit man or assassin group to be funded solely by one client. First came the matter that no one had that many enemies and even if they did, there would no doubt be periods of lag where no jobs came through at all. The fact of the matter was, ITP _never _experienced lag periods…at all. Countless youth and handlers were taken out every week to perform jobs.

"The ITP…they were _government _funded." Said Neji, his voice stoic. He sat back a moment, allowing Naruto to absorb that fact.

Naruto felt as if his earth was shattering into a million little pieces. Ok, well maybe it wasn't that serious, but it was HUGE, mind blowing actually. Naruto had always assumed that Orochimaru was just a sic bastard, someone who enjoyed kidnapping orphaned children from their orphanages and training them to fuel his need for blood, or something to that extent. To find that Orochimaru had an employer, that it was his own government no less? That was heavy.

"We managed to trace back a few of the transactions, to the bank accounts where they originated from. While most were scattered across various places, three were connected back to the Cayman Islands, same account number and registered to the same person. Upon further investigation, they all connected back to the same name, a Pietro Pinelli. We're still running the name through our databases." Explained Neji.

"How do you know it was the government then, if you haven't traced the name back to them?" Questioned Naruto.

Neji gave Naruto a wry smile. "Coincidentally, that same account number was traced back to an arms deal for the Italian Armed Forces – one the government personally claimed they paid for. The reason no one ever found this connection is because no one was looking for it."

"Fuck me." Naruto muttered. "This is deep shit. Like…_Huge._"

"You're telling me." Said Neji. "That's why it's crucial that you remember any details about the agency for us. I want to get to the bottom of this."

"Ugh." Naruto sat back, massaging his forehead. "The guy was a suit. It was…in a hotel, which hotel I don't remember. I slipped into the bathroom that he was using and snuck under his stall. Shot him point blank in the head. I don't remember what happened afterward." His memory of the incident was fuzzy. He remembered quietly slipping into the stall to the man's left before slipping under the slot underneath. The man had barely formed the words for him to get the hell out when Naruto raised his gun and shot. He remembered breaking protocol – he had shut his eyes when he shot and didn't open them until he had slipped out of the stall.

Iruka had been his handler. He remembered the kind hearted man scooping Naruto into his arms as soon as he emerged from the bathroom. Then, in a voice that Naruto remembered as being strange coming from Iruka, he made a phone call.

"Frazetta." Said Naruto suddenly. "I think. The guy's name could have been Frazetta. I don't quite remember."

Neji took his phone from his pocket and quickly texted the name. "I'll run it through the databases and see. Thanks Naruto."

"Hn." Said Naruto absentmindedly. A waiter in a crisp uniform came to the table, cutting off Neji's next words as he placed a burger and fries in front of Naruto and a meatball sandwich in front of Neji. After asking if anything else was needed, he left the table, leaving Neji to say his next words.

Naruto was morosely picking at a French fry when Neji spoke. "Naruto, I want you to be careful."

Naruto looked up, his once bright eyes now dull after all the information he received. "Why? I thought that you said the ITP wasn't after me…?"

"They aren't…" Allowed Neji. "But I don't like where this investigation is headed. I have a bad feeling…" Murmured Neji.

"Great." Muttered Naruto. Needless to say, it was the worse meal that he had in a while.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
11:49 UTC_

Hinata shifted away, her eyes opening to the gleaming sunlight pouring in through her bedroom window. She gave a soft yawn and stretched her limbs out before sitting up to comb through long, tangled black locks of hair. She rubbed at her forehead as she looked around her bedroom. She didn't remember returning home last night, how had she gotten into bed?

Gingerly sliding off the bed, she stood up, her loose sleeping garments shifting around her. She heard the sound of fingers clacking on a keyboard and took a few steps, her head peeking into the adjoining study. Sasuke was sitting at his desk, furiously typing away on his laptop, his ear piece practically glued to his ear. Although his hair was neatly combed, he was bare footed and still wearing the baggy T-shirt and sweatpants that he usually wore to bed, signifying that he didn't go into the office that day. Hinata put a hand to her mouth. Because of her?

Just then, Sasuke turned his head toward her and stopped typing. "Hinata?" He asked softly. Rolling away from his desk, he quickly approached her, his face showing concern.

He guided her slowly back to bed, sitting her down as he knelt down before he, as if she were a small child. "How do you feel?" He asked, reaching for her hand.

"I'm fine." Said Hinata blushing. "Do you remember…" Her eyes gazed around the room, as if she was lost. "…How I got home?"

Sasuke's eyebrows creased. "Kiba brought you home…I wasn't home yet, but he left me a note. He didn't say much…" He muttered, slightly aggravated at the brown haired man.

Sasuke knew that Kiba was well intentioned – he and Hinata had dated briefly, back before Sasuke had even been interested in Hinata. It had caused a brief scandal, considering Hinata was the former Hyuuga heiress and that it was an office romance, but it had been short lived as they soon broke up, rather amicably and decided to just remain friends. Sasuke had always wondered if Hiashi had pressured Hinata to break up with the Inuzuka. While Kiba was not from an unrespectable family – he came from a long line of excellent veterinarians, the type that only people like Hiashi Hyuuga could afford, he wasn't of the same breed so to speak. Pun intended.

Kiba and Hinata had remained good friends, but sometimes Sasuke wondered if the Inuzuka still had feelings for his wife. It wasn't that he wasn't friendly toward Sasuke, he just wasn't all that helpful, as demonstrated by the brief note he left.

Hinata's eyebrows creased. "Kiba…but I don't remember…" She racked her brain, trying to remember what happened last night. She remembered Kiba waking her up, she remembered leaving the office and walking to her car…something happened…what was it? She bunched her fists up, trying desperately to grasp at the memory.

"Are you ok?" Sasuke asked, putting a hand to her forehead. "Perhaps you are coming down with something…not enough rest maybe?"

Hinata seemed to be at a loss for words as she shook her head, her mouth slightly open. She saw someone last night, someone in the parking lot…why couldn't she remember? Why was everything so hazy?

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows, suddenly worried. Hinata had been acting strange lately. Spacing out, sleeping in late…she always seemed so…lost. Sasuke put his hand to her forehead once again, checking for a fever when his phone started to ring. Snapping up, he pressed a button on his ear piece.

"Uchiha." He said briskly.

As Gai's voice flooded through the speakers, he spared a glance back at Hinata who was staring into the distance before padding back into his study.

Hinata paid no mind to Sasuke, although in the back of her mind, she was vaguely worried that he didn't go to the office today. Her thin fingers grasped at the sheets again as she racked her mind of any vague piece of memory from last night. Finding that her efforts weren't producing any results, she slipped on a paid of satin slippers that were sitting by the bed and exited the bedroom.

Hinata entered the huge kitchen, her feet sliding across the marbled floor. She went straight for the cabinets, selecting a tall water glass before filling it with purified water and taking a large gulp. As the water slid down her throat, she felt her heartbeat begin to calm from its rapid rate and she took a intake of cool air. Draining the rest of the water, she carefully set the glass in the sink, quickly washing it out before moving back up stairs. She would freshen up and get dressed, maybe eat a bit of lunch before going to the office. She was confident that she would feel better after a shower and some food.

Her hand absent mindedly trailed up the railing, her eyes glazing over the pictures that she and Sasuke had hung along the staircase. Suddenly stopping, Hinata's smile faded as her eyes rested on one framed photograph that hung near the top. Hanabi was still a small child, her hair pulled into pigtails. Hiashi stood behind Hinata, his hands stiffly on her shoulders. But that wasn't who Hinata was staring at. She was staring at the beautiful woman, her hair, slightly curled, was pulled into a loose ponytail that hung over her shoulder. Her thin arms managed to support Hanabi and her pink lips were pulled into the loveliest smile Hinata had ever seen. It was her mother, the same woman Hinata had seen in the parking lot last night. Hinata couldn't help it, as it had been building in her throat as soon as her eyes saw the picture. She screamed.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
14:15 UTC_

Naruto's feet were kicked up on his desk once again, but the lazy demeanor that he had before having lunch had quickly evaporated. His partner kept shooting him uneasy and curious glances, but he made no move to ask Naruto what had happened during lunch; Naruto was grateful.

His phone was clasped in his hand once again, but in his other hand, he held a small Micro SD card. He flipped it around in his fingers, silently contemplating it.

"_I did manage to scrounge this up for you." Said Neji, his hand sliding across the table toward Naruto. When he lifted his hand, Naruto saw a Micro SD card, the kind that could fit into a phone._

"_What is it?" Asked Naruto warily. He almost didn't want to know. _

_Neji looked Naruto in the eyes and Naruto swore that he saw something almost akin to pity in them. Naruto bit his lip. _

_"Your orphanage and adoption records." _

Naruto blew out a breath. "Fuck." He muttered, sliding the card into the slot in his phone


	3. Chapter 3

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."  
**Note: Hmm...a characters name in this chapter sounds very similar to a character from Terminator Salvation...NOT MY INTENTION!  
Note 2: I'm gonna be going on vacation soon, so I wanted to dish this chapter out before I want. Happy (early) Thanksgiving y'all! And thanks so much to **_Mangosplashies _**and **_Aquaknite_** for reviewing the second chapter even when I didn't ask you to :D To show my appreciation, you get a prize! A scene of your liking will be put into this story. Anything you want featuring anyone. Please PM with your suggestions. ****  
**

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* * *

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03: I'll Be There  
_(I've got your back believe in me)

* * *

_

_Rome, Italy  
11:55 UTC_

"Anything?" Sasuke asked, almost hating and regretting the desperateness that was apparent in his own voice.

He could almost hear Gai smiling at him through the phone in sympathy. "It was definitely suicide." Said the dark haired man with a twinge of remorse. "Blood spatter analysis confirmed it. We also traced the gun back. It was registered to Asuma."

Sasuke let out a sigh. "In your honest opinion?" He asked. Besides Kakashi, Sasuke had a huge amount of respect for Gai. Although extremely exuberant in attitude and despite his odd rivalry with Kakashi, the man was more dedicated to his job that half the people on the force. He had more solved cases under his belt than most could brag about even if he did prance around in spandex and Sasuke had learned in time that his opinion was to be highly respected.

There was a pause on Gai's end. "I don't know, Sasuke." Gai finally responded, sounding defeated. "I just …" The sound of fear, confusion and hopelessness reflected back to Sasuke's ears.

Gai was silent for a moment over the phone before he heard him take a calming breath. "He was a good guy, Asuma…it just didn't make sense. He and Kurenai were in a good place, they just had a baby…" Gai paused again. "You should really ask Kaka…"

The rest of Gai's words were drowned out as a shrill scream pierced through Sasuke and echoed around the empty house. Sasuke's heart jumped into his throat and his feet were moving a second later.

Hinata!

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
14:16 UTC_

_Birth Father: Namikaze, Minato  
Birth Mother: Uzumaki, Kushina_

Naruto stared blankly at the two names, his mind buzzing as if it were trying to form faces to fit the names that he saw on the screen.

'I have my mother's last name.' He thought absentmindedly.

With a sigh, he put his phone down on the desk and turned his chair away from his partner, who had been eyeing him every so often. Leaning over, he put his head in his hands and squeezed his eyes shut. A tiny part of Naruto had always wondered who his parents were. Especially as a child, he wondered how he had ended up with the cruel fate of being with the ITP, since he had been there ever since he could remember. As he got older, the thought of parents faded away as he focused on what could be considered his day job, but a part of him still wondered.

Who were they? Why did they give him up? Why was the ITP the only thing he could remember? Would he feel complete if he knew? Would he have a better sense of belonging?

Naruto felt more broken up and confused more than ever.

With a groan, he turned around and snatched up his phone, hungrily scrolling through the rest of the document.

_Repubblica dei Ragazzi_

_Name: Namikaze, Naruto  
Birth: October 10, 1983  
Gender: Male  
Age: 4  
Height:'3-2"  
Weight: 50lbs_

_Birth Father: Namikaze, Minato  
Birth Mother: Uzumaki, Kushina_

_Date Received: December 22,1987_

That was all the record gave. Most of the information Naruto was aware of, although he was puzzled and a bit shocked at the age recorded.

'If I was four years old already, why are there no memories? Not even the fuzziest image of my mother's face?' He thought.

Blowing out another angry breath, he closed the document and popped out the Micro SD card, not even bothering to sort through the rest of the documents Neji had given him. He paused, biting his lip for a moment before opening up Google. He paused, his fingers frozen over the screen before typing in one name.

_Kushina Uzumaki_

It took less than a second for results to pop up. Naruto held his breath and quickly scrolled through the links. Nothing.

He almost felt silly for a second. Did he really expect to find results? His mother was a nobody, did he really expect to find something different?

He shook his head, still feeling stupid as he typed in his father's name in the search bar. He knew, however, that if he didn't try, it would haunt him. As the search results popped up, he found that his heart had stopped as the first result, a news result, had his father's name bolded.

With shaking fingers, he clicked on it. It was a short excerpt from a well known Italian newspaper _Il Roma _and it bore the title: Prominent Politician Minato Namikaze Dies in Car Crash off the Po.

With furrowing eyebrows, Naruto read the article once, twice, three times until he could practically recite it off the top of his head. His brain hurt. His heart hurt. He was scared, confused, boggled beyond belief. The relief that should have come with knowing who his birth parents were was no where to be found.

* * *

_Asilah, Morocco  
15:00 UTC_

Sakura wiped a few beads of sweat off of her forehead with her forearm. Despite the air conditioning that the hospital provided, she was still practically sweating like a pig. She lowered her arm and lightly slapped the patients arm, gaining a rosy blush. Sakura smiled and then turned away, picking up a syringe that was resting on a small table by the patient's bed. Sakura quickly ripped the packaging off and uncapped the syringe, pushing the air out before administering it into the patient's arm.

"There." Said Sakura as she pulled the syringe back out. "That should ease the pain. I'm happy to report that your injuries have been healing wonderfully despite the pain. In fact, your stitches are ready to be taken out today!" Said Sakura smiling.

A French woman, whose face and arms were covered in bruises and scratches smiled faintly at Sakura. She had been in the hospital for a week already, after surviving a particularly brutal car crash.

"Maria!" Said Sakura, calling out for her assistant.

"Will I be released soon, doctor?" The woman asked.

Sakura tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I'll check your charts and we'll see. It shouldn't be more than a week or so more, I want to make sure that all of your injuries heal completely. I believe there will be little scarring."

The woman smiled again. "_Merci_, doctor."

"It's my job." Said Sakura proudly. "Now after I remove your stitches, how about a bit of lunch? I bet you are hungry. Maria!" She called out again, more than a little aggravated her assistant still hadn't turned up.

"Will I be able to eat more solids?" The woman asked hopefully.

"I think so." Said Sakura. "Damage to the stomach area has healed quite nicely. I think you should be able to handle it, but if you get pains when you eat or afterward, please let me know, you might not be ready then."

The woman nodded once more. There was a beat of silence between the two as Sakura noticed her assistant failed to up a second time.

"MARIA, GODDAMMIT…!" Sakura barked loudly, spinning around, fully ready to go hunt the woman down. As she turned, she saw a bemused looking man standing in the doorway. The rampage that had been growing inside of her quickly cooled as embarrassment came flooding through. Her mouth stopped, halfway open.

"I think Maria was called away for something." Said the man stepping forward as he gestured behind him. "I was sent in her place."

"Oh my God." She mumbled, bringing her hands to her mouth.

"It's not often I hear such profanity in a hospital." Said the man casually, a bewitching smile on his face. "It's…refreshing."

"Oh God!" Said Sakura, finally finding her voice. Her cheeks were already burning. "No I don't…!" She mumbled. God, was she embarrassed! "I don't often go around swearing and yelling…" She said quickly, hoping to amend his impression of her, not bothering if she was telling a white lie or not.

"Don't worry about it." Said the man stepping forward, offering her a suave smile and his hand. "Marcus Albright. I was just shipped out yesterday."

"Sakura Haruno." Said Sakura quickly thrusting out her hand to shake his. "Gosh this is embarrassing! I didn't realize you were there."

The man – Marcus laughed and Sakura realized it was quite a beautiful sound. "I didn't believe that for a second, Dr. Haruno. Is there anything that you need, just so poor Maria doesn't get overwhelmed when she comes back?"

Sakura blushed red again, but managed to keep her voice straight. "Would you mind getting Mrs. Bertrand her lunch? I want a mixture of both solids and liquids. Her file should be down in the kitchen."

As she talked, she allowed her eyes to rove over the man, drinking in his features. She hadn't noticed at first, because she had been so embarrassed, but the man was HOT. He had a strong facial, particularly a prominent jaw line and high cheekbones. His eyes were the most dazzling blue, slightly darker than Nauto's and his hair was like bronze, glinting and shining under the florescent lighting. Any man whose hair could look that good under florescent lighting was something special.

"No problem." Marcus replied, offering Sakura a smile. "I'll be back."

Sakura turned back to Mrs. Bertrand, her face still slightly pink. "Stitches." She said after a beat, reminding herself as she moved off to get the materials. Mrs. Bertrand smiled, with a knowing look on her face.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
11:58 UTC_

"Hinata!" Sasuke yelled, his feet rapidly pounding down the stairs.

"Sasuke! What's going on!" Yelled Gai in his ear.

Sasuke ripped the ear piece off and dropped it on the floor as he saw Hinata standing there, her hands to her heart and her eyes widened with fear in disbelief.

"Hinata!" Sasuke roared, his voice having lost its edge as he quickly spun his trembling wife toward him, his hands frantically roving over her, checking for signs of harm.

"Are you hurt?" He asked quickly, "What's going on?" His voice was laced with overwhelming worry and his hands tightly gripped hers.

Hinata's quivering form shook against his and her eyes, wide with horror slide away with Sasuke and back toward the picture of her once family. She stared long and hard at her mother's face, the memory of the previous night still pressing down hard in her mind.

With great effort, she took a deep intake of breath and tried to calm her racing heart. Her shoulders lolled as she relaxed and she turned back to face Sasuke. She bit her lip and her heart ached instantly at the sight of his anxious face. His dark eyes roved over her face, as if he were looking for signs of injury or trauma.

"Hinata?" He asked, his eyebrows creasing. "What happened?"

Hinata's teeth dug into her lip. Sasuke's eyes seemed to be boring into her, his hands like heavy clamps around her hands. The pressure seemed to be too great. She pushed the image of her dead and apparently still walking mother out of her mind.

She pushed a steady smile onto her face, almost grimacing at how fake it felt. "I'm so clumsy." Hinata mumbled. "I think I stepped on a piece of glass. I suppose I was really startled, I really shouldn't have screamed so loud. Gosh, you must have thought I was having a heart attack or something!" Hinata giggled. The sounds coming from her throat sounded traitorous to her.

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed and he feared that if he didn't stop doing that, he would have forehead wrinkles by the time he was thirty. He couldn't help but be skeptical of her claim. He released her hands and bent down, retrieving his dropped ear piece.

"Is the glass still there? Do you need me to look at your foot?" Sasuke asked, his fingers lightly touching her bare ankle. He noticed the slippers on her feet.

"Uh no." Said Hinata. "I-I don't think it cut me…" She mumbled, hoping Sasuke wouldn't catch onto her lie and oblivious to the fact that the slippers were still blatantly on her feet.

Sasuke stood up, his eyes wary as he straightened out his clothes and fixed the ear piece back on his ear. Gai had hung up already and knowing the spandex wearing man was prone to jumping to conclusions, Sasuke would be surprised if hundreds of Interpol agents suddenly came busting through the front door. Bloody perfect.

Sasuke fixed his eyes back on his wife and saw that she was staring toward the ground, her thumbs twiddling nervously. Sasuke grimaced at the annoying habit.

"Babe…" Said Sasuke, his voice calm and soothing despite his confusion and irritation. "If you're hiding something from me…with everything going on right now…I don't think I could handle it…" He said, stating the simple truth.

Hinata's pale eyes snapped toward Sasuke and her lips parted. "Sasuke no." She said, quickly wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging her body toward his. "Nothing is wrong really. I think I'm still a bit loopy from the night before. I promise everything is ok."

She felt Sasuke's arms slide around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. Her small hands reached up slowly to stroke his hair.

Hinata was more than willing to chalk up the appearance of her dead mother appearing in front of her in a paring garage up to a lack of sleep. She was willing to brush off the fact that her mother looked more life like than any of her memories could supply to the fact that she was simply tired.

Hinata decided to keep her problems to herself and remain unselfish just this once, because she knew that Sasuke had more than he could handle on his emotional plate right now. Hinata was willing to pass off that she might have just made one of the biggest mistakes of her life to the fact that she was simple too goddamned tired.

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
20:30 UST_

Tenten walked out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair and not really caring that her long brown locks were dripping water down on her carpet. Efficiently wrapping the towel around her head, she flopped onto her elegantly decorated King sized bed, behaving more like a ten year-old instead of a woman who was approaching thirty.

Grabbing the remote off the nightstand, she quickly turned the TV on and proceeded to flip through the channels at an impressive rate. The house and the surroundings outside were eerily quiet, but for Tenten, the lack of noise had become customary for the small, quaint neighborhood they lived in. Sometimes, Tenten missed the disjointed rumblings of sound that seemed to never end when she and Neji had lived in their simple flat in Paris. Tenten had found it rather chic and romantic, but alas, they had moved back to Virginia and back into the impressive and unnecessarily large Hyuuga owned Victorian house that they lived in before Neji had accepted the job at the Paris American Embassy.

Tenten's chestnut colored eyes drifted to the bay window that overlooked the house's unnecessarily large backyard. The large oak just outside the window was almost bare, having dumped its contents on the lawn, as if it were just waiting for Tenten to haul her ass outside and rake them up. While Tenten wasn't fond of raking leaves – she never had to do it as a child – she found that she enjoyed going through the motions herself, rather than just hiring some landscapers as the rest of her filthy rich neighbors did. Tenten found with amusement that she didn't like to fit in and if being different meant she had to spend hours of grueling work of raking up leaves, then she would take it.

Tenten was used to not fitting in, and she found it strange to break tradition now. The Hong Kong native had grown up in an all male household, with her mother having died a few years after her birth. Her two older brothers were nothing, if not the worst possible influences for their younger sister and they both had Tenten throwing punches before she was even five-years old. If Tenten's father could have stopped it, he would have, but sadly, the older man was rarely home, instead opting to work four or five odd jobs just to pay the rent on their dingy apartment and put food on the table.

His dream for Tenten was to remain the perfect filial daughter. To become evidence that the traditions of the mainland didn't have to die just because they had moved to the British occupied city. Perhaps if Tenten had the option, she would have tried to be what her father wanted, because she loved her father dearly, but, as it would be, circumstance would just not allow it. As it was, by the age of fifteen, Tenten already had a revolver stuffed down the back of her pants and a dragon tattoo emblazoning the lower half of her back, evidence that she had become one of the _Sap Sei K – _a member of the 14K, one of Hong Kong's most notorious Triads.

Nights spent in dimly lit alleyways, breathing in the heavy scent of cigarette smoke and cigars, the sound of shotguns, rolling die and shuffling money constituted Tenten's memories of her formative years. She was an efficient soldier, and quickly moved up through the ranks of the Triad, doing both of her brother's proud and promptly digging her father's own grave, for he knew of Tenten's illegal activities but refused to rat her out, even when given the opportunity; instead opting to let the poison rot him from within…

Tenten was barely past twenty when she began running the 14K's entire arms trafficking operation. And she was good at it. Damn good at it. For someone who had completed as little schooling as Tenten did, instead opting to spend her days and nights hustling the streets, she understood the business more readily than any other her age. And life was good. She was feared by rival gang members for her notorious reputation in wielding weapons of any kind, she was respected within the Triad and she had more than enough money to ever know what to do with; enough to ensure that both she and her father would be living comfortably for a while.

But then, just as there is Yin and Yang, and as surely as what goes up must come down, Tenten's high came to an abrupt end. Tenten's father had passed away, both quickly and suddenly, as Tenten was enjoying the high life with her fellow Triad members. A heart attack, the doctors had said, most likely stressed related. Tenten's own heart had been shattered. Despite the fact that her father had refused to look her in the face, she had still tried. She still loved him. And salt had only been pressed into the wound as Tenten's oldest brother was murdered only weeks later by rival Triad members of the Sun Yee Oh.

Devastated, Tenten did the worst thing that she could have possibly done – she got sloppy just as the 14K's trafficking operation was beginning to forge in the States.

Everything had played out fine at first. Tenten's transition into what was know as the Land of the Free had been quite smooth, despite her less than ideal knowledge of the English language and the fact that she scared off all her neighbors, if not by her fierce look, then by the obvious dagger she had stuffed in her boot. But slowly, as all good things do, her cover slowly crumbled to the ground. A slip up here, a wrong word there, a misinformation else where and Tenten soon found herself sitting under the nose of the CIA.

And who other than to bust her than a suave, possibly overconfident senior officer Neji Hyuuga? She hated him at first - plain and simple. He wanted to turn her into an asset, she told him to go fuck himself. In Cantonese of course, but as it was, the genius Neji was actually quite fluent in the language, which only pissed Tenten off more because every insult she threw at him, English or likewise, he had been able to understand.

Yet despite her less than cool tone with him, Neji persisted on, slowly but surely as he tried to win Tenten over to their side. As a top member within the 14K, the information that she held would be invaluable to the agency, not to mention the extra kick he got at the task of breaking her, but he kept that information privy to himself. (It wasn't until much later that he admitted this to the arms dealer and she thoroughly pummeled him for it).

But Tenten was just as stubborn and unwilling to give Neji that satisfaction. She hated him and she let that hatred for him nurture her. It made her feel better, to hate someone instead of feeling the grieving loss that she had been left with after the death of her father and oldest brother. He had nothing to go on anyway, he was nothing without her. Sure he could throw her in jail, but she knew him. After a month of Neji Hyuuga hassling her – she knew what made him tick and she knew that the arrogant and overconfident bastard inside of him would never forfeit to her. And as long as he wasn't willing to lose, it put him at a stalemate. As long as he was at a stalemate, she had won.

It was in knowing this that Tenten let a smirk grace her face as she sat, legs crossed in an upscale bar, sipping on a beer and reveling in the fact that SOON, Neji Hyuuga would be releasing her from his slimy hold. Needless to say, she almost spit her beer out when she saw him sidle up next to her. Those in hearing range had to cover their ears as they turned to look at the raging Chinese girl as she thoroughly cussed out an amused looking Neji. Clearly, he had come to antagonize her just to irritate her because he was in the losing position. Neji feigned ignorance and blamed her for interrupting him in his time off.

Eyewitness reports aren't sure who started it first, but punches were definitely thrown and not even Neji's credentials could keep his butt from being tossed on the alley floor. Tenten, obviously furious got the drop on Neji, managing to land a kick to his ribs before it turned into a full out brawl. Punches were thrown, kicks delivered and grappling ensued, yet neither of them could be certain, even years later, when fighting ceased to exist and where the kissing began.

Needless to say, neither of them came away from it quite unharmed, even Neji. Make up had managed to cover the black eye he sported to work the next day, and he managed to hide his injured ribs quite nicely, although there was a not so subtle wince that accompanied every attempt to sit down. The scratch marks running down the smooth skin on his neck, however, weren't so easy. Neji was forced to say he had been clawed by a wild animal which was at least half the truth.

She still hated him, he was well aware of that fact. She had uttered it many times last night; it was why she beat him up so thoroughly. He wasn't going to delude himself since he honestly didn't care either way as well.

Neji and Tenten managed to hide it well, despite the bruises they often had to cover on their bodies. Their heated gazes filled with hate only fueled their aggression later on, their yelling matches that started on a professional level continued into the early hours of the morning. No one suspected, as no one could fake hate like that, and it was their mutual hate for one another that drew them together.

But when would it end? When would they tire of it? Neji didn't have an answer to that question and neither did Tenten, not even when she found herself admiring Neji's sleeping form as she got ready to make her early departure. It wasn't until Neji's mother tried to set Neji up with a quaint, dainty, _useless _girl and they got dangerously close to marriage that Neji realized that whatever happening between him and Tenten was no longer hate. Not when Neji found himself wishing that the beautiful waif like girl in front of him would knock him the jaw, simply because she felt like it. Not when he found himself wishing, that when he first kissed her, that she would bit him on the lip just because she took pleasure in watching him bleed.

Although it broke his mother's heart, Neji knew he couldn't go through with it. And finally, when he found himself breezing by the windows at Tiffany's and seeing a ring that would no doubt look perfect on Tenten's agile (and skilled) finger, he knew he really cracked.

Likewise, things were no longer any easier on Tenten's side either. Tenten had been confident that she understood basic emotions, and that she understood the stark difference between hate and love. But perhaps where passion was involved it just muddled everything? It didn't make sense to Tenten, but she couldn't afford to make sense out of it. She wanted, _needed_, to hate Neji. After all, he stood for everything that she was against. But it was hard, when her fingers remembered the ghost like feel of his skin and hair, and how when she imagined her father dying over and over, only the memory of his arms seemed to calm her.

Yet when news reached her that her brother, the last family she had left, had been killed in a power struggle within the 14K, she cracked. It meant that Neji had won, but some how, that wasn't so bad anymore.

The first time he asked her to marry him, she had rejected him. To think that after all this time, she would actually live out the life her father had wanted for her? It was unfathomable, even if Neji was hardly the suitable husband he would have expected for her. She could just imagine her father now, complaining about how it pained him that she would be marrying some Yankee white _gwailo. _

When he asked her a second time, however, Tenten really had no other reason to say no. She loved him, something that had taken a while to come to terms with, and there was really nothing more ironic than the genius Neji Hyuuga, the prized possession of both the Hyuuga family and the CIA stooping so low as to marry a former Chinese gangster with no family. For those reason alone she _had _to marry him, not to mention she really cherished the look on her mother-in-law's face when she found out who her new daughter to be was. But really that was just an added bonus.

Who knew hate sex could have evolved so far?

Tenten broke out of her thoughts, a smile on her face when the phone started to ring.

Grinning, Tenten let it ring once more as she finally settled on a channel before reaching over and snatching the portable from the dock and putting it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey Ten."

"Neji." Said Tenten, letting the name slide off her tongue. "How's the vacation?" She asked.

It was an inside joke between the two of them that whenever Neji had to go away for work, it would be referred to as a 'vacation', despite the fact that his trips rarely could be considered as such. It was just so much easier to say, 'oh, my husband is on vacation' when she met her friends for coffee instead of the harder to swallow, not to mention often "classified" truth.

Neji was silent on the other end which made Tenten frown.

"Things are getting complicated." Neji intoned.

"What's wrong?" Tenten asked, the teasing and playful nature evaporating from her voice as she sat up.

"Tenten…this time…I'm really worried."

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:10 UTC_

Sakura pulled on a pair of navy blue cotton shorts and quickly pulled her hair back with an elastic band around her wrist before stepping out of the bathroom. Her green eyes darted around the apartment, looking for any sign of Naruto. She found none.

Puzzled, Sakura walked into the living room and grabbed her cell phone off the table. No missed calls. She bit her lip and checked the time. It was after five; usually Naruto was home by now. She paused, dread rocketing through her as she pondered the idea if something could have happened to him.

She then laughed out loud, and to hear it physically seemed to calm her nerves. The ITP was gone, Naruto had assured her of that. There was nothing to be afraid of. Perhaps Naruto had stopped somewhere to get something for dinner. There were really a million reasons as to why he could be late, Sakura almost felt silly at jumping to conclusions.

As if on cue, the front door banged open as Naruto stepped inside. A smile tugged on Sakura's lips as she waited for Naruto to enter the living room. A million things bubbled to her lips about the things she would tell him, number one being her new assistant. She was quite looking forward to his reaction of her description of him. She wondered what it would be like to see a jealous Naruto.

When Naruto entered, the look on his face made the words die in Sakura's throat. Wordlessly, they walked toward each other, Sakura engulfing Naruto in her arms as he ducked his face into her hair.


	4. Chapter 4

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."  
**Note: ****YEAH FULL CHAPTER****  
****Note 2: ****Are you, faithful readers, opposed to a very political story? I'll try to tone it down as much as I can.**

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* * *

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04: Prisoner of History  
_(Tell me there is hope for me)

* * *

_

_Asilah, Morocco  
13:45 UTC_

"Have you talked to him?"

Sakura lifted her jade green eyes, pausing in the process of stabbing some salad with her plastic fork. Marcus sat across from her, a perfect eyebrow quizzically raised. He seemed to be appraising her with those beautiful blue eyes of his.

Sakura sighed and put down her fork so that it was resting on the inside of her plastic salad container. She swept some stray strands of hair behind her ear. "I haven't. I mean…I want him to be open with me, for him to talk to me when he feels comfortable to do so. I don't want to push him." Sakura confessed.

Marcus then smirked and his blue eyes seemed to be glittering at Sakura. "But…?" He said.

"But… I'm _dying _to know." Said Sakura, and it was here that a glimpse of a smile tugged at the edge of her lips.

"There's always a 'but'." Said Marcus grinning as he shook his head.

He and Sakura were sitting in a small café, not far from the hospital, enjoying a quick lunch break before they had to go back to work. Over the past week or so, Sakura had to admit that she was getting along with Marcus better than she had expected, and he was a hell of a lot more helpful than her previous assistant Maria had been. He was so comfortable to talk to and be around that Sakura found herself giving out details of her life that she probably wouldn't tell another soul that she had just become acquainted with.

Normally, Sakura found herself become rather awkward in the presence of men, especially attractive men -which was quite strange considering her current boyfriend and former fiancée. Nonetheless, Sakura knew she would never be one of those girls who could just stride up to a man and strike up a conversation, or even _have_ male friends. Her first male friend had been in the form of Obito Uchiha and it was only because he was Sasuke's cousin. How she had even become involved with Naruto and Sasuke had been a whole other thing entirely. So it had come as rather a shock to Sakura that she could speak so easily with Marcus, even when the other female nurses were drooling as they walked by and sending Sakura spiteful glances.

Thus Sakura had confided in Marcus that she had felt something was wrong with Naruto. When he had come home late that day and hugged her, Sakura could feel that something was wrong, that something had definitely happened at work. She had waited for him to tell her, yet after holding her in his arms for a few moments, Naruto had simply pulled away and gave her one of his patented grins, saying that he felt totally better and skipped off for a shower. She had waited, over the next couple of days, for Naruto to give her a clue, any sort of clue that would explain his behavior that day, yet nothing was said; Naruto seemingly haven returned to normal.

Marcus shrugged, picking at a piece of his salad. "Sometimes, men like to wait until the woman asks them what's wrong. It's a way of us knowing that you care, that you're paying attention."

"Well that's just stupid." Grumbled Sakura.

"It all depends on what you are looking for in a relationship. Us men have a sensitive side too, you know." Marcus joked. "Even us attractive ones."

Sakura snorted. "Fancy yourself attractive do you? I knew you were arrogant."

"What?" Said Marcus glancing up at her, his face pulled into an almost incredulous look. "You're telling me you _don't _find me attractive?"

At this, a slight blush stained Sakura's cheeks and she did her best to brush it away. "Well…"

"Hmm…I'll get a confession out of you sooner or later." Said Marcus as he glanced at the silver watch on his wrist. "We should get going. We're due back in a few minutes."

Sakura looked down at her half finished salad and sighed. She had barely eaten anything at all. Forking as much salad into her mouth as Marcus got up and threw his trash away, Sakura snatched the plastic lid off the table and hastily jumped out of her seat to join him. Approaching the garbage cans that were waiting by the door, Sakura's foot slipped in something wet as she hadn't noticed the waitress on the floor, mopping up the mess a small child had slipped.

With a shriek escaping her lips, Sakura lunged forward, her salad container flying high in the air. Deftly snatching the container from the air in his right hand, Marcus reached out, grabbing Sakura with his left before she hit the ground. She found herself being pulled tightly into Marcus' chest by the momentum of her fall.

"You didn't tell me you were so clumsy." Marcus said, turning his head to toss Sakura's container in the garbage. It sailed in, clattering against the metal as a short round of applause made its way through the café.

Sakura cleared her throat and shook her head, quickly pushing away from Marcus. "Yeah, well I suppose if your reflexes were any worse, I'd be eating tile." Sakura muttered. "Maybe there is reason to be attracted to you."

Marcus appraised Sakura as they walked out of the café and into the intense heat under the sun. "Oh, _now _there is? You go for the hero types then." He said lightly, a smirk on his face. "Shame."

Sakura didn't seem to hear him.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
14:15 UTC_

Hinata sprang awake, as the cell phone sitting on her desk started echoing its standard tone while vibrating across the smooth surface of her desk. Catching her breath and quickly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with the heel of her hand, she snatched the phone.

"Hyuuga." She responded automatically.

**_"We know you, Hinata Hyuuga." _**

Hinata let out a squeak as the eerie voice filtered through the phone's speaker and into her ear. The sleep instantly vanished from her brain and she clenched the phone tighter in her hand, her spine becoming tense and rigid.

"Who are you?" She whispered, white eyes darting around the office as if she could determine the speaker.

**_"We know you, and we are ALWAYS watching." _**

The phone slipped from Hinata's fingers and clattered onto the desk.

Hinata's eyes sprung open and she jolted away from her desk with a gasp. Her heart was beating erratically in her chest as she looked to her desk. Her Blackberry was no where in sight – instead it was probably still sitting in her purse where she originally put it. Scrambling to get her purse out from underneath her desk, she grabbed it and slammed it down on her desk before frantically rummaging through it.

She grasped the phone, quickly pulling it out and scrolling through her call history. There was no number that seemed out of place.

"Did you miss a phone call?"

Hinata gave out a loud gasp and her phone dropped from her hands, clattering on the desktop like a former memory. She quickly retrieved it upon seeing Kakashi standing before her, hands casually in the pockets of his dress pants.

She took a moment to compose herself, calming her beating heart before she looked at Kakashi. "Uh, no, apparently not…" She said. "I guess I'm just tired…"

"Sasuke hasn't been keeping you up too late has he?"

Hinata's cheeks reddened. That was the second time a co-worker made an innuendo about her and Sasuke's sex life. "Sir…I…" Stuttered Hinata.

"I meant with the case. Asuma's case…" Kakashi trailed off and his dark eyes darted away from her.

Immediately, Hinata felt embarrassed about the quick assumption that she had made. _"Mi dispiace…"_ She murmured softly, her eyes dropped to gaze at her lap.

Kakashi softly nodded his head in acknowledgement. There was silence between the two; Kakashi drowning the shadowy depths of his sorry and Hinata desperately searching for the correct words that would throw him a life line. "It comes with the job." He sighed after a few minutes passed by. "You never know which day might be your last…" Kakashi sounded tired, more tired than Hinata had ever heard him sound before.

Hinata bit her lip. "Not like this, Sir…" Hinata protested. "This wasn't murder…" Kakashi didn't respond.

Hinata tapped her fingers in her lap, her previous dream practically forgotten. "Do you think it might have been the case he was working on?"

Kakashi sighed and shook his head. "He was looking into the disappearance of some NATO officers. Truth was, it wasn't even our most pressing case. It might not even be picked up again. He wanted to take it easy so that he could take more time off to help Kurenai with Anna…" Kakashi's voice cracked at the sound of the baby's name. Hinata got up and softly put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder as the older man pinched his eyes shut with his fingers. Hinata knew that Asuma's death had put a particularly hard strain on the entire division, but even more so with Kakashi, who had always been a close friend of both Asuma and his wife.

After a minute of both of them standing in silence, despite the hubbub of the office around them, Kakashi gently stepped out of Hinata's reach. "Well…" He said. "I didn't come here to cry on your shoulder." He said with the usually gruffness returning to his voice. "I came to see how you are progressing in your own case."

"Oh." Said Hinata taking a step back. "Everything is…fine. Everything is going according to plan." She reported.

Kakashi gave a strict nod of his head. "Good. You'll come see me if you need anything, right?"

"Of course, Sir." Hinata reported duly.

Kakashi nodded his head for a moment, looking a little unsure before he moved to walk off. "Hinata…?" He called, turning around once more.

Hinata looked up toward Kakashi, her pale eyes uncertain and lost. "Yes?"

"Get some rest. I don't know how Sasuke would handle it if something happened to you too." Kakashi said, before turning his back on her once more and walking off.

Hinata's eyes drifted toward her phone as Kakashi's words echoed in her head.

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
16:30 UTC_

Neji's fingers were drumming almost anxiously upon the glass surface of his desk, his eyes fixed upon the computer screen in front of him bearing the CIA's official seal. If anyone was even mildly acquainted with Neji Hyuuga, then they knew the man well enough to know that he was never an anxious man and that he was _never _one to drum his fingers anxiously – or at all. The fact that he was doing so now was reason enough for all his co-workers sitting around him to keep casting him anxious, albeit curious glances. Neji blew out a breath and looked around, his eyes calmly analyzing the area around him. Nervous co-workers quickly averted his gaze as his sharp eyes found theirs and told them to mind their own business.

When he had called Tenten from Morocco and expressed slight worry about the situation at hand, he shouldn't have been surprised that when he returned home, he found Tenten sitting calmly in their bedroom, in the process of polishing all her knives. Her guns were all neatly spread out on the bay window, having already been cleaned and reassembled. He had chastised her and they both had a good laugh over the situation, but Neji hadn't entire shaken the feeling of unease from within him.

Casting one more glance around the room to make sure no one was looking at him, Neji stopped drumming his fingers and put his fingers to the keyboard, quickly pulling up a search bar. He entered in his password before typing up a single keyword: Frazetta.

As soon as he hit enter, his computer started to beep – a warning sign that he was doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Fuck." Neji swore under his breath as he raced to mute the audio on his computer. His computer instantly stopped beeping and he breathed a sigh of relief before his eyes darted out to his surroundings once more. A few co-workers were staring at him, but his icy glare quickly sent them back to doing their own work. Shaking his head, he found a dialog box on his screen, reporting that he didn't have the security clearance to access files concerning Frazetta.

Gritting his teeth, Neji set his fingers to type again, this time to pull the up the files on Naruto himself. Luckily, no warning signs appeared, telling him that he was trying to access files that were above his clearance level. They were the same files from before, however, including birth certificate and the statement files from the ITP case. Neji shook his head. There had to be something more than that.

Neji shifted through some basic files and detailed case reports, all the while rolling his pale eyes because he wasn't digging up anything worth while. As he scrolled through Naruto's adoption file for what seemed like the hundredth time, Neji noticed that there was a note attached to the file – something that he hadn't caught on to before. Pursing his lips, Neji clicked to view it and found that it was a reference number. There was nothing else to clue Neji in as to what exactly he would find.

Closing out Naruto's file, Neji quickly typed in the reference number. What he got, however, was another round of what would probably be incessant beeping and sirens from his computer, had he left the sound on for it said once again that he didn't have the clearance to access the files.

Neji closed the box with an angry tap of his finger and sat back. Something was definitely wrong, the question was, how far could he get in figuring it out before it all came crashing down on his head.

Almost as if on cue, a tall, well dressed man sidled up to Neji's desk, his face rather devoid of emotion. "The Director wants to see you." He said, and at this, his face twinged with sympathy, showing his understanding but knowing he could do nothing.

"Thanks." Neji said bitterly as he slid back his chair and stood up.

CIA Deputy Director Anko Mitarashi was really a no-nonsense kind of person. As a former Romanian KGB officer before the downfall of the Soviet Union, others found the woman quite scary. Although she was quite harmless for the most part, she did have a certain bloodlust that others couldn't quite call normal. Her love for tight knit tops that put her rather average chest on par with someone like Tsunade also seemed to give her a certain edge.

This, however, wasn't an edge that she held over Neji as he calmly strode into her office and stared the dark haired woman straight in the face. Upon seeing him, she rose languidly from her cushioned office chair and quirked an eyebrow at the dark haired man.

"Would you like to explain to me, Hyuuga, why I just got two alerts that a certain _someone _was trying to access files above and beyond their clearance level?" Anko asked, her voice sharp.

Neji clasped his hands behind his back, but his eyes never wavered from hers. "I wasn't aware that they were above my clearance level. Sorry." He added lamely.

Anko seemed to find amusement in his response, for she gave out a stark laugh. "Sorry, huh?" She asked. "If I had an agent apologize every time they didn't something wrong, well that would make the world a better place, now wouldn't it?"

An irked expression crossed Neji's face for a second before he quickly wiped it from his face. Anko, however had a sharp eye and quickly caught it. "Right, you're a Hyuuga. You don't take sarcasm from others well."

Neji wisely chose not to comment as Anko dropped her gaze from him and began sorting through some files on her desk. "Perhaps then, you could explain to me why you took an unauthorized flight to Tangier last week."

Neji bristled, but once again chose not to respond. Anko looked up at him. "No? No comment? If my sources are correct, Naruto Uzumaki is in Tangier isn't he?" She asked, flipping through papers once more.

Neji looked away. "Yes, ma'am."

A smirk crossed Anko's face but then it quickly vanished and her face turned serious. "Hyuuga, the case is closed. There is nothing else we need to bother ourselves with." She said, looking up at him.

"Then why are the files still locked and classified?" Neji asked, his voice icy. "You know there's something else, something bigger and we're not seeing the big picture. You looked at those files yourself."

Anko shook her head. "I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it's time we leave Uzumaki alone and let him live a normal life. You are going to have to accept that this case is closed, Hyuuga."

Neji shook his head, but bit his tongue in saying anything. "Is that all ma'am? I'll try not to access any other forbidden files today." With that, he turned around to stalk out.

"Neji." Called Anko.

Neji stopped in the doorway, but didn't turn around.

"Just…leave it alone."

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:00 UTC_

Naruto walked home with his hands in his pockets, his eyes practically glaring at the sidewalk ahead of him. His tie hung loosely around his neck and his sleeves were pushed up to his forearms. Although it was only a short fifteen minute walk from work to home, Naruto could feel the sweat drenching through his shirt, even after spending his entire day inside the cool air conditioned office building. He couldn't wait to get home and jump in the shower…preferably if Sakura would be there to join him, but since it wouldn't be likely, he would be fine with just the shower.

Something was wrong, and Naruto knew it, yet he was no closer to finding out what it was than he had been a week ago when Neji had handed over his adoption files. His father had been _murdered_, that much was for certain. Cars didn't just mysteriously drive over the edge of the river Po, especially not when they were famous up and coming politicians, especially not when their sons mysteriously end up in the hands of the ITP.

Naruto ran a hand through his blond hair. Why was his life such a mess? As if it wasn't bad enough that he was forced to become a child assassin, escape, and then proceed with the life of a criminal for practically the past fifteen years of his life. In a way, Naruto supposed that it gave him comfort that it wasn't that his parents didn't love him, or not want him…but then again that fact was dampened severely by the fact that they were probably murdered.

Naruto turned down a garbage trodden alley – a shortcut that he had found his second week of work. As he mulled over the issue with his parents, he thought about Sakura. He hadn't yet told her about Neji's visit, or the file concerning his parents. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her, but he also didn't want to make her worried. Despite Sakura's tough attitude, Naruto knew that the whole ITP issue still bothered her, although she would never let on. And Naruto didn't blame her. He was sure girls didn't dream about dating guys who had to kill for a living…at least not the sane ones.

"Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki."

Naruto froze, the back of his neck breaking out into a cold sweat. Mysterious voices calling out to him by full name would do that. Feeling along his belt, he felt the only usable weapon was the stun gun at his side. Great.

"Never thought I would meet the infamous Kyuubi…" The voice continued, the hint of a British accent echoing in Naruto's ears. Naruto could hear the shuffling of feet, signaling that the person was approaching. Naruto braced himself his hand lightly reaching for the stun gun.

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto finally asked.

"No worries." The man said leisurely. "I just have a proposition."

**Who's the mysterious man? Review and lend me your guesses :p**


	5. Chapter 5

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: ****Thanks to ****Aquaknite and Fooster26 for taking the time out to review last chapter :D**

**Note 2: I realized that this might be confusing for some readers, but the story doesn't take place chronologically. That's why there's the time step for every scene. Sometimes, it might jump from a morning scene with Sakura to a night scene with Hinata and back to a afternoon scene with Naruto. Just so that ends up being clear to readers. Flashbacks will take place in _italics. _  
**

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* * *

**  
05: Lies  
_(I'm so sorry but I love you)

* * *

_

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:30 UTC_

"Hey Mom." Sakura sighed, sitting down on the couch, the midday sun painting their small cramped living room a lively orange hue. She could feel the sun on her face with striking intensity despite the approaching winter season. She had an awful sense of Déjà vu.

"Oh, Sakura!" Her mother cried. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for _ages!_ Have you been busy?"

"Yes Mom." Sakura lied. "I am a doctor, remember?"

"Of course I remember, dear." Her mother chortled. "That's my daughter, the doctor." She sighed. Sakura rolled her eyes as if she could just see her mother, beaming with pride from halfway across world.

"Mom," Said Sakura, bringing her mother back to reality. "Why were you so anxious to get a hold of me?"

"Oh!" Exclaimed her mother, as if she had suddenly remembered something very important. "I have some exciting news. Some very exciting news indeed!"

"Well what is it?" Sakura didn't mean to sound curt, but sometimes, her mother could only be taken in small doses in one given moment.

"It's your cousin! She's getting married!" Her mother cried, causing Sakura to quickly pull the phone away from her ear. As it was, her ear drum was still ringing in the aftermath of her mother's high screech.

"Oh! Joy…" Said Sakura with as much fake enthusiasm as she could muster. Sakura hadn't grown up with a large family - in fact her family was really quite modest. A aunt on her mother's side and an aunt and uncle on her father's side, Sakura couldn't say she grew up in the close knit family dynamic. Her father's brother and sister had both lived far away during Sakura's childhood, resulting in her seeing her cousins only during family function which didn't happen often. As a result, Sakura ended up growing closer to her cousin on her mother's side- a loud mouthed girl Sakura's age named Karin. Sakura used to enjoy the times that she spent with her cousin. Karin used to be bright and energetic girl with an incredible affinity for reading people. Sakura used to call it her super power because Karin often could tell how their parents would react to a certain situation and she knew how to use it to her advantage. Sakura always used to be so shy and reserved in comparison.

Even in high school, Sakura felt like she was stuck in Karin's shadow while she remained the wallflower. Karin was pretty and popular, a wild party girl that Sakura could never see herself becoming. Boys seemed to flock to Karin; just drifting past Sakura. Yet Sakura never resented her cousin for it - they still got along wonderfully, even if it did mean that Karin would drag Sakura to parties that she was never invited to and she would just end up sitting on a couch in a corner, even if it did mean that her first time getting drunk and getting high were _not _memorable experiences. Karin always used to make things sound more glorious than they actually were- and it was a definite plus that neither of the girls were ever punished for their deeds thanks to Karin's 'superpower'.

Yet things had changed, as all things inevitably did.

"Yes, yes…" Said Sakura's mother, not catching onto her daughter's sarcasm. "Your aunt tells me that he is a very nice boy…they plan on getting married next year. Oh, how exciting it is, to have a marriage in the family…especially since _you_ are no longer getting married…"

Sakura rolled her eyes and let out an angry sigh. Here they went again! Déjà vu indeed… "Mother! We already went over this…"

"Alright dear, I don't want to fight with you over this now…" Her mother sighed, almost exasperated.

"Thank you." Said Sakura relieved as she sat back on the couch.

"What I really wanted to ask you is if you think you'll be able to come home soon. Karin's engagement party is soon and I thought it would be so nice to have the whole family together once more…You can even bring your…male friend…Naruto was it?"

Sakura clicked her tongue in annoyance. Her mother couldn't even bring herself to call by Naruto by his correct title as Sakura's _boyfriend, _as if by saying it, her mother would have to accept that Sakura had moved on from Sasuke and found someone new. "Wow Mom, that's really generous of you. Sorry, but Naruto and I are actually very busy. I don't know if we'll be able to make it." Said Sakura, not feeling sorry at all.

"Oh, but dear, you _will _try won't you?" Her mother asked, worry coloring her voice.

"Yes, Mom, I'll _try_. But I really can't guarantee anything. We're actually very busy people." Said Sakura. Like she really wanted to go home to attend her cousin's engagement party.

"Oh good." Said her mother, sounding satisfied.

"Sakuraaaaa…" Naruto suddenly whined as he entered their apartment, slamming the door shut behind him.

Sakura barely concealed her grin. Right on cue. "Okay Mom, was that all you had to tell me? I have to go, because as I said before, I'm really quite _busy._"

"Well…alright Sakura." Said her mother reluctantly. "I love you, honey."

"Love you too, Mom. Bye." Sakura didn't wait for her mom to answer before shutting her phone close with a snap. She turned to see Naruto just as he entered the living room. She was glad that he was home early today, she wanted to take the opportunity to follow Marcus' advice and ask him about what was bothering him. She steeled herself, ready to not take no for an answer.

"Your Mom again?" Naruto asked, plopping onto the couch beside her. "What did she want?"

"Oh…just to tell me my cousin Karin is getting engaged." Said Sakura airily as she waved her hand about. "No big deal. She was trying to harangue me into coming in for her engagement party. As if…" Sakura scoffed. "But listen Naruto, I wanted to talk to you about something…"

"A party?" Said Naruto, perking up. "Well that sounds fun. Maybe we should go."

Sakura turned to look at Naruto incredulously. "You _want _to go?"

"Yeah." Said Naruto eagerly. "I could meet your folks and it would be a nice…vacation!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "Since when have you _ever _been eager to meet my parents? As far as I can tell, you've never been the 'meet the parents' kind of guy. Besides, I already told my mom the chances of us coming were slim. Now Naruto…"

"Maybe you're right…" Said Naruto, tapping his lip. "Now that I think about it…meeting the parents actually does sound terrifying. I mean, meeting your Dad…" Naruto paused, a shiver running down his body. "Yeah, I don't think I'm ready for that. But…it doesn't mean that _you _can't go…"

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait…are you suggesting that I go _by myself?" _

"Well…" Said Naruto, giving her the best innocent look that he could muster, "I mean you must miss your folks, right? I mean, every girl misses their mom…"

"Yeah…" Sakura allowed, "That maybe true, but you haven't met _my mom_ yet. Are you…trying to get rid of me?" Sakura asked, her voice raising in pitch as she turned to Naruto, her green eyes blazing.

"What?" Naruto squeaked, jumping up from his seat. "No…why would I do that? I just thought it could be nice for you, you know, seeing the family and all…didn't you say it was your cousin's engagement party?"

"She's a bitch." Sakura said, still suspicious of Naruto's intentions.

"Well…" Said Naruto, blowing out a breath. "That's harsh."

"You've never met her." Sakura said curtly.

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, confused at Sakura's sudden change in temperament.

"So, is there a specific reason why you're so anxious to get me to go?" Said Sakura, rising to meet Naruto. "Is there something _wrong?" _

"No." Naruto answered, perhaps a beat too quickly. "Why would there be something wrong?"

"Because, you've been acting…strange lately. Like you are now." Said Sakura with a pointed look.

"I'm not acting strange now." Naruto said defensively. He quickly turned from Sakura, heading into the kitchen.

Sakura followed him, still not convinced. Naruto pulled open the fridge, grabbing a carton of orange juice and unscrewed the top to have a drink. Sakura quickly snatched the carton from his hand, ignoring his protests and poured some into a glass from the kitchen sink before handing it back to him. "You know that you can talk to me, right?" Sakura asked, her voice softer this time.

Naruto sighed and brought the glass down from his lips. "Of course Sakura." He said. "I'm just worried, that's all. You deserve to have…_normal_. I mean, I dragged you away from New York…"

"I dragged _you _away from New York." Sakura amended.

"Fine." Said Naruto. "The point is, I worry about you. I want you to have a normal life and things with me aren't always so normal."

"That was before." Said Sakura, warmly touching her hand to his.

"Yeah, you're right." Said Naruto. He flashed a brief smile before quickly pressing his lips to her forehead. Sakura didn't seem to notice that his smile was the sad sort of smile.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
20:26 UTC_

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Sasuke's voice was annoyed, irritated, and perhaps if one was listening closely; tired and worried. He didn't give his visitor a chance to respond, instead turning around and shuffling his bare feet across the marbled floor as he stalked out of the foyer.

Itachi merely smirked and sidled through the door, a bottle of Brandy in his hand and watched as Sasuke stalked off, back into the living room where he was working.

He gave a nod of his head toward the waiting maid, whose expression read that she was horrified of her employers behavior, especially towards one as prominent and foreboding as Itachi Uchiha, especially he was his own brother. "Is that anyway to talk to your _older_ brother?" Itachi asked, sliding his shoes off and slipping out of his jacket before handing it to the waiting maid. Itachi made his way to the living room and found Sasuke sitting on the couch, laptop in his lap with an assortment of different papers scattered around him. A light smile crossed Itachi's face once more, at seeing how diligent a worker his little brother was.

"Hn." Sasuke muttered in response.

Itachi walked over to a dark oak cabinet that was sitting near a couple of vast bookcases, each filled to the top with books. Itachi's eyes drifted over the titles, wondering if the books were for Hinata's benefit or merely for show. Their mother had forced them to read all the classics in their childhood years from classical Italian literature, to the works of Shakespeare and other such classical English writers like Jane Austin and Emily Dickinson to _The Tales of Genji, _which Mikoto had insisted was important in remembering their heritage. Afterward, Sasuke had practically rejected the written word unless it came in the form of the newspaper or a case report. A shame really- Itachi loved to read and books offered _such_ insight...

Itachi put the bottle of brandy down next to the other bottle of liquor sitting on the cabinet and opened the bottle easily before pouring two glasses. _"Mamma _wanted to know why you didn't show up last week for dinner. She was incredibly upset with you."

"I was busy." Sasuke replied, not looking up from his work.

"I told her as much." Itachi replied smoothly. "But you know _Mamma._"

"Hn." Replied Sasuke. "So she sent you?" Both brothers were well aware of their mother's rather annoying habit was wanting to know every detail of her son's lives.

"I volunteered." Said Itachi, setting the first glass down on the table next to Sasuke before moving over to an armchair by the fireplace. "I thought you might want to be spared her wrath."

"Oh." Said Sasuke, briefly looking up. He couldn't bring himself to say thank you.

Itachi, however, seemed to get his brother's drift and nodded his head before looking into the fireplace and taking a sip from his glass. Silence settled between the two, only punctuated by the sound of Sasuke sporadically typing on his keyboard. Although Sasuke and his brother didn't always get along, the silence between them wasn't awkward, but rather comfortable. There were very few individuals in each of the brother's lives were such a comfortable silence could be obtained.

"Hinata?" Itachi finally questioned, breaking the silence between the two.

Sasuke sighed and flicked some hair behind his ear. "Work."

Itachi was nothing, if not observant. Many liked to call him a genius, Itachi merely reasoned that he just paid better attention to his surroundings than most, allowing him the ability to make rational judgment calls. It was through his powers of observation that Itachi noticed the tired gleam in Sasuke's eye, the twitch of Sasuke's fingers that implied he was worried when he flicked back his hair, the subtle sense of longing in the younger man's voice.

Sasuke seemed to be worried about Hinata- that much seemed for certain. Hinata was a good person, and Itachi knew that Sasuke deeply cared for her. He had expressed initial distaste toward Hinata when Sasuke informed him that he was dumping his current fiancee for the ex-Hyuuga heiress. Although he had only meet Sakura Haruno briefly, during a trip to New York to visit his brother, she had been kind, almost charming in a school girlish way that almost made her seem naive. And despite what others, especially women thought of Itachi, he was really a sort of romanticist at heart who believed there was only one woman for one man. Plus, he had once accused of Sasuke thinking with a certain lower part of his anatomy instead of his brain or heart; Hinata was rather curvy compared to the slim Sakura. But, over time, Itachi truly began to appreciate the Hyuuga girl, realizing that perhaps Sasuke had made the right choice.

They used to be closer- Sasuke used to Itachi's adorable little _fratello_- but it didn't mean that he couldn't still _read _him.

"I heard about Hiruzen Sarutobi's son." Said Itachi, pulling the conversation away from Hinata. "A shame, he seemed like a good person."

Sasuke glanced up from his work. "You knew Asuma?"

Itachi nodded and Sasuke held back his customary eye roll. Of course his brother, the prodigal genius of the Uchiha family had been acquainted with the President's son. Itachi knew _everyone_. "The media didn't paint his…incident as a pretty picture."

Sasuke scowled. Damn reporters. He had tried to keep as much of the case under wraps as he could, but of course it was a high profile case, with Asuma being the son of the President of Interpol. "It wasn't pretty, but there is no reason for the public to fear either." Sasuke said, referring to the media's habit of blowing situations out of proportion, sending the general public into a frenzy.

"You don't believe it." Said Itachi after a beat, a smirk gracing his features.

"Not in the slightest." Sasuke responded.

"Then…the question you should be asking," Said Itachi standing up, "Isn't why he did it, but who forced him to do it. Thanks for the brandy, Sasuke."

Itachi gently set his empty glass down on the table and left the room, as Sasuke sat there, mulling over their cryptic conversation in his mind. It wasn't until Itachi's footsteps drifted away and the front door closed shut that Sasuke realized he was grinning. It was a full blown grin- grins that the youngest Uchiha was not prone to giving, given that he was in his correct state of mind. Others might have said that Sasuke Uchiha simply _did not _grin- the occasional smirk was the closest you would get.

Yet, there Sasuke sat, laptop in his lap, fire burning in the fireplace, very obviously in his correct state of mind; grinning.

Not why, but _who_.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:50 UTC_

He was fanning himself, even though the heat in the room could barely be called stifling. The air was toxic, permeated by the small of smoke and burning chemicals. Small bits of ash raised into the air, only to harmlessly fall back onto the wooden coffee table, dusting the table black. He was burning up with an indescribable heat- the type that prickled the back of ones neck, the type that made sweat drip down the back of your shirt, almost as if someone had laid an ice cube there, yet there was no ice.

He was scared, but was he really scared? He was angry, that much was for sure.

He looked down at the burning pile, watching as the fire burned a funny bluish green color as it touched the pictures. Sakura's face, oblivious and innocent was seen briefly, before the fire touched it and it smoldered black, curling away under the flame.

He stopped fanning himself and the couch creaked as he sat up. The fanning device- an airline ticket, was loosely gripped in his hand now. His fingers twitched, almost with indecision and then, after a beat, he slowly, hesitantly brought the ticket to the flame. He stayed there, with his hand poised to burn it, as if that would burn his problems away. Would they turn to ash too, just as the paper of the ticket would?

It was close, so close. The flames were practically licking the paper. But then his rationale seemed to catch up with him and he quickly pulled the ticket away, tossing it on the couch. He couldn't do that. Problems didn't just disappear with the burning of a ticket.

He heard the bathroom door click, the sound of a doorknob turning. The sound of running water had stopped. Eying the discarded ticket, he leaned over, quickly snatching it and rolling it up in his back pocket. He couldn't let her see it, it would only make things worse. He heard the grating of wood on the floor, he heard footsteps.

"Naruto...is there something burning?"

Shit, he forgot about the pictures. Jumping up, his feet clattered on the ground with a bang. He scooped the dish up, with all its burning evidence and ran to the window, quickly pushing it open before dumping its contents out. The flame quickly extinguished in the wind; he hoped nobody had been passing by underneath.

"I don't smell anything."

He wished his problems could fly away like the ash fluttered away in the wind.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:05 UTC_

_Naruto bristled as the man approached, sliding past him. "What kind of proposition?" _

_The man before him was tall, so much that they stood eye to eye. His eyes were dark, hidden by the shadows of the alleyway. His hands were casually tucked into the pockets of his jeans. "It's a very simple one." The man said, and this time, the British accent was definitely apparent. _

_He stepped closer to Naruto, and his smile was eerie. "I want you to kill Neji Hyuuga." _

_Naruto froze and his fists clenched together. He _knew _that when Neji came, trouble was going to start. Why did it always have to end up this way?_

_The man seemed to be contemplating Naruto's expression and then he sighed. "It seems as if your decision is already set. Let me see if I can persuade you. If you refuse to do it, I'll kill Sakura Haruno." _

_"You fucking…" Naruto began, his eyes blazing with fury, but then he seemed to catch himself. Naruto wasn't always a rational being, but he realized that keeping a cool head and not giving too much away would help him out in the long run. It was with a grain of salt that he pushed his fury away. _

_"Don't want to finish that sentence?" The man asked, quirking an eyebrow. _

_"Why should I believe you?" Asked Naruto. "I don't know who the hell you are. You come strolling up out of fucking no where and expect me to just accept your deal at the drop of a hat? Sorry, I need something more than just your bullshit." _

_The man grinned. "You're interesting…and have a certain way with words. Sakura didn't tell me that."_

_Naruto flinched at the mention of Sakura's name. "Who _are _you?" _

_"I'm Marcus, Marcus Albright." _

**A/N:: I hate to do this, but I feel as if a lot of people are reading, but not reviewing. Can I get at least three or more reviews before I post the next chapter up?**


	6. Chapter 6

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: Thank you everyone for reviewing! You seriously made my day :D**

**Note2: **_**Italics**_** also stand for speaking in another language or phone conversations.**

* * *

06: See What I See  
_(Where am I supposed to go? Who am I supposed to believe?)_

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
17:07 UTC_

_There was a beat of silence between the two. "Sorry, was that supposed to mean something to me?" Naruto asked. "It didn't have the same ring to it as James Bond did." _

_"You're funny." Marcus replied, but his voice held no mirth. "I would have thought dear little Sakura would have told you about me. Naughty girl." Marcus tisked. _

_Naruto's hands clenched and unclenched. _

_" You see, I have _access _to her…_every day_. That's rather dangerous, isn't it?" Asked Marcus, pulling out some pictures out of the back pocket of his jeans and handing them to Naruto. _

_Naruto took the pictures, quickly flipping through them. His teeth clenched, but he made no other physical sign that he was angry or disturbed. He wondered why Sakura had neglected to mention that she had a new aide. Was it that she thought it was no big deal? _

_Naruto shrugged his shoulders and held out the pictures back to Marcus. "So what are these supposed to prove? That you two are best girlfriends together? Sharing secrets with each other while eating your salads?" _

_Marcus' s smile soured. "You're rather stupid, Naruto Uzumaki, not seeing a threat when it's right in front of your face. Perhaps being the Kyuubi has inflated your ego too far." _

_"Maybe." Naruto allowed. "At least my ego has reason to be inflated, unlike yours." He thrust the pictures back at Marcus again. The man must have been either a criminal, or in government, Naruto assessed quickly. Those were the only two options that allowed others to know that he was the Kyuubi. Neither option was very comforting. _

_"No, you keep them. It'll be a reminder of what you'll lose if you fail to cooperate." Said Marcus. _

_Naruto nonchalantly shrugged again, and stuffed the pictures in his pocket, not caring if he ruined them. "Right, you want me to kill Neji Hyuuga. Why?" _

_"Hmm…I'm afraid that's on a need to know basis." Said Marcus shrugging, a light smile on his face. _

_"Need to know basis, huh?" Said Naruto shuffling his feet. "Then why don't you get someone else to be your damn errand boy?" _

_"The higher ups were adamant that it be you. To keep you from opening your mouth, or keep you from sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong." Said Marcus. "You see, Hyuuga pried into something that he shouldn't have. It's only fair that he pays the consequences." _

_Naruto's eyes narrowed. It was about those files that Neji gave Naruto? But why would someone want to keep his adoption records a secret? What was the significance of knowing his parents – and furthermore, the significance of Minato Namikaze's death? All Naruto knew that was apparently, Neji was in deep shit and now it was dragging them both down. Naruto didn't want to kill Neji. Although he hadn't known the man for long, he had realized that Neji was the closest thing to a friend that he had. The last thing he wanted to do was kill his only friend. _

_"How do you want me to do it?" Naruto asked finally. _

_Marcus looked surprised for a moment, as if he hadn't been expecting Naruto to accept so easily, but then he smiled – a trait that Naruto was beginning to associate him with. "Anyway you want, just make it look like an accident. You should be good at that." _

_Naruto smiled at Marcus before giving him the finger. _

_"Hmm…very mature." Mused Marcus. "Here," He said, pulling something from his back pocket and handing it to Naruto. "You fly out in two days."_

_Naruto took it, finding that it was an airline ticket. "Seems like everything is in that back pocket of yours." He said casually, while studying the ticket. "What else you got back there? More pictures? Maybe some pictures of your Mom?" _

_Marcus gave Naruto a dark look that told him he didn't appreciate his humor. Naruto only smirked in response. "So, I suppose you're coming with me? It can be like that American movie 'Commando'." _

_"Hmmm...tempting, but I won't be flying out with you." _

_"A shame." Naruto murmured. "I was really looking forward to using that line Arnold used, but only suaver. So is that all?"_

_"The airport is a check point." Said Marcus, ignoring Naruto's request to leave. "Fail to check in, and Sakura Haruno is dead. Your flight leaves at six in the morning and you'll arrive in Washington D.C by seven at night. Getting to Virginia is your own business. I'll give you until five o'clock the following day to kill Hyuuga." _

_Naruto didn't respond, his expression surprisingly sober. _

_"The second it turns 5:01 and I _don't _get word Hyuuga is dead," Marcus continued, "I will _kill_ Haruno. Understand?" _

_"Is this little meeting over?" Naruto yawned. " Sorry but I'm not really enjoying your company." He muttered. _

_Marcus smiled serenely at him. "You can leave. Just one more thing." _

_Naruto rolled his eyes. "And what's that?" _

_"Don't underestimate me. Give me the chance to kill Haruno and I'll take it." Marcus took a step closer to him. "And I'll enjoy it." Marcus gave Naruto one last smile before walking off, leaving Naruto alone in the alley, airline ticket in his hand._

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
10:08 UTC_

Chipper – it wasn't the first word that popped into anyone's mind when thinking about an Uchiha man, any Uchiha men for that matter. Perhaps the word stoic, or unemotional, maybe even the word bastard, depending on who you were talking to, but never the word _chipper. _

But as colleagues observed him that morning, from behind their cluttered desks, their faces either in muted shock, disbelief or otherwise trying to hold back laughter, they could find no other adjective to describe the way in which Sasuke bounced into the office that morning, head held high. And one thing was for certain, Sasuke didn't _bounce, _nor did he prance or trot or do anything that was typically associated with walking animals.

Sasuke's face was neutral, instead of the permanent scowl that was usually etched on his face that would no doubt eventually set crease lines in his face before the time he was thirty. He took a casual sip of his tomato juice, enjoying the fact that he could partake in one of his favorite drinks instead of the coffee that was usually needed to keep him going through the day.

Dutifully ignoring the glances he was receiving from his co-workers and doing his best to resist the urge to tell them to mind their own damn business, Sasuke kept walking until he reached the tech department, stopping short at the desk of one Aburame Shino.

The dark haired man swiveled his chair toward Sasuke. "Sasuke." He intoned, his deep voice muffled slightly by the high collar of his jacket. A dark pair of sunglasses adorned the man's face, making it rather impossible for Sasuke to read his face. If anyone could be more unemotional than an Uchiha, it was the man sitting before Sasuke. Sometimes it aggravated Sasuke to no end that he couldn't read the Aburame as well as he could other people, but Sasuke brushed it aside, reasoning with the fact that as long as the man did his job, Sasuke had no reason to try and read him.

Sasuke's eyes swept over Shino's spotless desk before he set his drink down. _"I need you to pull up Asuma's case files and his latest psych evaluations."_

Shino stared back at Sasuke, his face as smooth as a stone. _"The President looked over Asuma's psych evaluations himself, nothing was found out of the ordinary."_

_"I'm looking for something specific."_ Said Sasuke. _"And get me the NATO case too."_

Shino turned toward his computer, his fingers pausing on the keyboard. _"But Kakashi said…"_

Sasuke gave an aggravated sigh. _"I don't _care_ what Kakashi said. Just get me the _file_."_ Sasuke said.

Shino paused before finally putting his fingers to the keyboard, typing something in when Sasuke's phone buzzed in his pocket. The phone was instantly at Sasuke's ear.

"Uchiha."

"Sasuke," Said Gai's voice through the phone. "I just heard from child services. Someone's trying to claim custody of Anna."

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. _"Tell Kakashi and make sure he gets down there now."_

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
15:03 UTC_

"You did good today, Naruto. They'll be very proud of you."

_Naruto grinned and his grin was as boundless as the bright summer sky. His short legs swung back and forth from his chair, not quite touching the ground yet. He took his spoon and dug it into the crystal cup on the table once more, spooning in some strawberry gelato. _

_As the sweet dessert slid down his throat, Naruto's smile turned into a pout as he thought about what had transpired earlier. A gunshot echoed through his ears, and Naruto jumped slightly. _

_The man before him frowned, putting down his own spoon. "Naruto?" He asked, his voice soft with concern._ "Are you ok?"

_Naruto looked up at the man and his blue eyes were suddenly swimming with tears. He quickly brushed them away with the back of his hand. _"It was scary." _He recalled. _

_The man before him sighed. His brown eyes became unreadable and the scar on his nose twitched. _

"I won't have to do it again, will I?" _Naruto asked, his voice hopeful. _

_The dark skinned man sighed and his fingers reached up to loosen the red tie around his neck. _"I wish…I wish I could make that promise Naruto."

Naruto's thoughts were broken by a considerable loud outburst be his co-worker. Glancing over, he saw his co-worker sitting here, ever present Nintendo DS glued to his hand.

"Don't you ever get tired of that thing?" Naruto asked, almost exasperated.

"No." The boy responded curtly, not bothering to even look at Naruto.

"What are you even playing?" Naruto asked.

"Pokemon." Said the boy quickly, his fingers rapidly pressing one of the buttons.

"Pokey what?" Asked Naruto incredulously, raising his eyebrows.

The boy paused, looking up and giving Naruto a wide eyed expression. "Didn't you have a childhood?" He asked. "Did you live under a rock?"

Naruto opened his mouth to retort when his co-worker quickly turned back to his game, groaning as he furiously pressed down a few buttons. "Don't you dare use Attract!"

Naruto gave the boy a confused look that said he wasn't even going to ask. "Uh, cover me for a few minutes – I gotta make a phone call." He said, standing up.

The boy didn't look up, waving him off with a flick of his hand.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
10:32 UTC_

Kakashi walked into the office building, flashing his badge at the receptionist. "_I'm_ _Ispettore Capo Kakashi Hatake, from Interpol."_ He said rather sternly. _"I heard someone was trying to claim custody of Anna Sarutobi."_

The receptionist nodded and she looked a bit nervous. _"They said you were coming. The young man is back there, speaking to the Director." _She said in rapid Italian.

Kakashi glanced through the crowded office, a buzz with ringing phones and chatter. He gave the receptionist a swift nod before walking off. He found the Director in an enclosed room that was probably used for interrogations and the like. Instead of regular walls, the walls were made of a firm plexiglass. The door was opened and the Director stood with her back toward Kakashi. Kakashi gave a brisk knock on the glass before stepping inside the doorway.

_"Ispettore Capo Kakashi Hatake_._" _Said Kakashi, quickly flashing his badge toward the Director as she turned to him. The Director was a stern looking aging woman, her dark hair pulled into a bun and her posture rigid. She took a quick glance toward the other occupant in the room and Kakashi followed her glance toward a rather bored looking man, who was slouched in his seat. Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows for a moment before following the Director out of the room.

_"I'm glad you could come, Mr. Hatake." _The Director said, extending her hand to shake.

Kakashi quickly shook her hand before pushing it back in his pocket. _"No problem. What's going on here?" _

The Director looked toward the young man again before turning back to Kakashi. _"Normally, we would deal with such matters ourselves. I would have simply sent the young man away. But considering the…complexity of Anna's case, I thought it would be prudent to bring in the authorities." _

Kakashi nodded. Anna had been in the custody of child services ever since Asuma and Kurenai's death. It had turned into such a complex matter since both President Hiruzen as well as Kurenai's own parents had tried to claim custody of the young child. Neither was willing to give up and so the matter had been taken to court. Kakashi glanced toward the young man. Why was he trying to claim custody of Anna and how did he even know Asuma? Was he perhaps trying to finish the job that Asuma's suicide hadn't accomplished?

_"He seems like a smart boy," _The Director continued, _"However he refuses to answer any of my questions. Perhaps you can have more luck." _

Kakashi nodded toward the Director. _"I can take it from here. I'll call you if I need anything." _

They stepped back in the room. The young man, sitting across the table was taking a long drag on a cigarette. He blew out some smoke, watching as it curled across the table toward Kakashi and the Director.

_"There's no smoking in here." _The Director said sternly.

The man's dark eyes flicked toward Kakashi for an instant before he shrugged and stubbed the cigarette out on the polished wood table, scattering ashes. The Director's mouth was set in a tight firm line at his actions. Kakashi couldn't help but be reminded of Asuma, with his ever present cigarette clamped between his lips. He had been planning on quitting, after the birth of Anna…

_"This is Kakashi Hatake, from Interpol." _Said the Director, _"He's going to be asking you a few questions. Maybe you'll feel more prone to answer him than you did me." _She said. She left the room, closing the door with a swift bang behind her.

Kakashi eyed the boy, who stared back at him lazily before he pulled out a chair and sat down. He had seen the boy before. His rather lazily appearance and demeanor had garnered Kakashi's attention when he had seen him last at Asuma's funeral. He had stood close by the coffin, but hadn't shed a tear; the only emotion on his face was the seemingly lost expression that he had as he watched the coffin being lowered into the ground.

_"You were at Asuma's funeral." _Kakashi said. _"How did you know him?" _

The man didn't respond, but only looked toward the cigarette that he had left stubbed out on the table.

_"Go ahead and smoke."_ Kakashi said, urging him. _"It doesn't bother me. Asuma used to smoke all the time. You guys even smoke the same brand." _

The man seemed mildly surprised, and amused as he slowly took the cigarette, placing it between his lips before flicking out a lighter from his pocket and lightning it. He took a long drag, sighing in content as he blew the smoke out. _"He got me started, you know."_ The man finally said. _"I used to think it was disgusting, but after a while, I guess you get used to it." _

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. So this young man was well acquainted with Asuma?

_"I thought it would be my duty, to take care of her."_ The man said. _"But if it's going to be that much of a hassle, I'll just leave." _

_"Your duty?"_ Asked Kakashi. _"Perhaps if I knew who you were, I could some advice."_

The man took another drag. "Shikamaru Nara." He said. _"I'm Anna's Godfather."_

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
15:05 UTC_

Naruto paced back and forth, his shoes clacking on the white tiles beneath his feet. His phone was in his hand and his fingers were jittery. Naruto groaned, throwing his phone down on the sink counter as he slammed his palms down on the cool marble, shoulders hunched as he looked himself in the mirror.

He wanted to call Neji – he _should _call Neji. 'They're probably tapping his phone.' The rational part of Naruto mind called out. He looked down at his phone, tapping it with his finger once. The backlight activated, showing the last activity on his phone. Neji's address book entry was opened up. The call button seemed to be waiting for Naruto to press it. His finger hovered over the button, ready to press it before he hesitated.

"Is this really what I want to do?" Naruto murmured. He imagined briefly just letting the pieces fall where they may. Once Neji was gone, Marcus would disappear and he could escape with Sakura. It could be so simple…

"What are you? A fucking monster?" Naruto yelled at himself, breaking out of his reverie. He spun around, eyes scanning the empty bathroom stalls, grateful that he was alone inside.

He couldn't just let Neji die.

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
10:06 UTC_

Neji was waiting patiently in line, however, his foot was tapping rather impatiently. He glanced at the watch on his wrist, once again finding it amazing just how crowded a Jamba Juice could get in the morning. He had just crossed his arms over his chest when his phone started to buzz in his pocket, echoing out its standard (and annoying) ring tone.

Neji pulled it out of his pocket, glancing at the caller ID.

"Naruto! I wasn't expecting to hear from you." Said Neji, his surprise naturally coming through in his voice. He inched forward in line.

_"Ah! Yes! I just uh…wanted to thank you for those files. It…really meant a lot to me." _Naruto said over the line.

"Well, it was really no problem." Neji stated modestly, not bothering to mention that he was apparently in trouble for doing so.

_"Ah…right. Well, the real reason of my call was to tell you I'm going to be in the States soon…uh, tomorrow actually, and I thought we should meet up." _

"Oh really?" Said Neji. "It's really short notice but yeah, sure I'll meet up with you…just call me when you get in. Will Sakura be coming in with you?" He asked. Really, this line didn't seem to be getting any shorter. Was getting oatmeal really worth it?

_"Oh, uh Sakura? No…She likes her job…uh keeping people safe here. Yeah, I wouldn't want her to put her patients at risk." _

Neji paused, eyes narrowing.

_"Yeah," _Naruto continued, _"I mean, I really wanted her to come with, but she insisted, no, I have to stay here. To keep them _safe._" _

Neji knew for a fact that Sakura was working with Doctors without Borders. While she might have been helping save lives, it was very different from the assertion that she was keeping people safe.

Naruto didn't want Sakura to come, because he wanted to keep _her _safe.

Neji was suddenly reminded of the code word that he and Tenten used for danger. Should the situation arise, Tenten might call Neji, claiming that she saw four bluejays that day, or she got four phone calls. There was no code in the sight of blue jays, or in getting phone calls, but the number four, in Chinese – _sei_ – was similar to the way death was pronounced, making it an unlucky number. If Neji returned home and saw that Tenten left him a shopping list saying that she needed four loaves of bread, then something was likely to be wrong and soon, someone might pop out to shoot him. Of course, the need to use the code word so far had never come up, but Neji was suddenly reminded of this situation.

Was Naruto trying to tell him something?

"Oh…" Said Neji. "Sorry to hear that. I was looking forward to seeing her."

_"Yeah well…you know how these things go…doctors…" _

"Yeah…" Said Neji, uncertain.

_"So…Neji…had you heard from Sasuke lately?" _

Naruto never referred to Sasuke as Sasuke – always Uchiha, expressing the fact that they weren't exactly friends. Likewise, Sasuke chose to refer to them as Hyuuga and Uzumaki respectively. Naruto was hinting at something.

"No…I haven't gotten the chance to. Have you? How is he?" Asked Neji, keeping his voice casual.

_"Oh, he's doing fine."_ Said Naruto. Was that a hint of relief he heard in his voice? _"He wants to get together soon."_

Sasuke would _never_ want to get together with Naruto. In fact, Sasuke and Naruto were likely to kill each other if they met again. Sasuke and Hinata's wedding at been proof enough of that, Neji honestly didn't know what Sakura had been thinking. It had taken all of his and Hinata's combined reasoning skills to keep Sasuke from pouncing on the blond haired man. Sasuke might have let Naruto off the hook due to mutual understanding, but it certainly didn't mean they wouldn't see each other dead. Someone wanted Naruto dead?

"Oh, that's nice. Let me know when, maybe I'll join you." Said Neji. He moved up a few paces up in line, but suddenly, that wasn't so important any more.

_"You should!" _Exclaimed Naruto, his voice sounding false. _"Sasuke said it would be nice if you joined us. In fact, I really think he wants to see _you. _Hinata probably misses you, you know. Sasuke's probably been showing her the monster with four arms too many times and she needs her cousin. Am I right or am I right?" _Naruto joked.

That sentence made no sense. If anything, it sounded like innuendo, but it made Neji's blood run cold. Kidomaru, that had been the name of the ITP agent whom he had fought when the infiltrated the headquarters and brought the agency down. Kidomaru had been trying to kill him. Kidomaru had four arms. Correction, someone wasn't trying to kill Naruto, they were trying to kill _him. _Maybe the number four really did mean death.

"Well…they are married now." Said Neji, his voice slightly weak. "There's not much I can do now."

_"Well…maybe it's because you gave Hinata those secret…ah…tips. That's probably why he's all over her now." _

Normally, Neji would have found any dirty talk concerning his cousin infuriating, but this time, not quite so. The only secrets he gave anyone was to Naruto, and it was the files concerning his adoption papers and birth records. Someone wanted him dead because he gave Naruto those files.

"Thanks for that image Naruto. Now I'm going to have to call Sasuke and tell him to lay off." Said Neji sternly.

_"Be careful. You know how Sasuke can get. Watch your back."_

That warning seemed clear enough. "As long as Sasuke doesn't send you to deal with me." Neji responded, a question of his own in there.

Naruto seemed to get it, for he replied, _"I'm sure he will…but I think I'll let you off the hook."_

Naruto was supposed to kill Neji, but he wasn't going to do it. Neji didn't know whether he should be relieved or not. "Thanks." He said, really meaning it. "And take care of Sakura, ok?"

_"I'll try, but I'm not sure if I can stop the four armed beast from getting to her, if you know what I mean." _Naruto sniggered.

Someone would kill Sakura if he didn't kill Neji. Neji moved up in line, quickly saying his goodbyes to Naruto. His mind had kicked into overdrive and it was spinning with Naruto's words. The fact that Naruto had bothered to use such an elaborate code at all and was banking everything on the hope that Neji would understand it gave Neji the suspicion that Naruto thought his calls were being tapped. And the fact that he was potentially being monitored didn't exactly bring ease to Neji's mind.

"Sir? Would you like anything?"

Neji's pearly eyes shot up to the cashier, who was looking at him expectedly and perhaps a bit exasperated. Neji was sure he would be to if he dealt with that many customers and it was only ten in the morning. "Ah…never mind." Said Neji, ducking out of line. "I think I'm ok."

Moving toward the door as he moved through the crowd, Neji put his phone to his ear again.

"Tenten? Do you think you can pick up four liters of pop when you go out today? I think some friends might be joining me later."

* * *

_24:09 UTC_

_"The pretty young flower wants to meet again." _

_"Tch, how stupid of her." _

_"Well that means she obviously doesn't suspect." _

_"It's a surprise, considering it's you she's meeting."_

_"Watch it, you bast-"_

_"Stop squabbling like a bunch of girls! God you guys piss me off." _

_"Oh shut the hell up. What are you doing here anyway." _

_"I've got orders from higher up, you no good piece of shit." _

_"Well, are you going to just stand there or are you going to tell us, you moron." _

_"Feh, be glad I just don't fuck you up. Increase the girl's dosage from 15cc to 20cc. Think you can do that with out messing up?"_

_"No problem, just get the hell out of here." _


	7. Chapter 7

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **I was dead for the last three weeks, but now that it is spring break, I'll try to update more diligently! Thanks guys for holding out and reviewing. This one is for you :)  
**Well...it would have been had fanfiction been working...**

******Note2: Three is the magic number :D

* * *

  
**

07: If You Take A Life…  
_(Do you know what you'll give? Odds are you won't know what it is)

* * *

_

Sometimes, it seems like it was a dream when he killed. As if he were a specter, having an out of body experience as he watched himself slay another man. Sometimes, it was as if some demon had emerged from the very depth of his soul and took control, forcing him to commit the acts that he did. Or maybe he was just being naïve, and it was all just a pretty illusion that he created for himself so that he could say 'I didn't really do it', 'I was on autopilot',' it was a reflex' – all excuses that avoided one from facing the truth.

He knew what he was doing – in fact he was acutely aware of it. He could smell that salty tinge of blood the moment it hit the air; he heard the crack of bones, that satisfying little creak the moment he pulled a limb back a little bit farther than it was meant to go. It was like he could hear the flesh tearing, ripping at the seams when he cut across the skin. He didn't want to hear those things though; he didn't _want _to see them.

He wished he was a little kid again, to small and too inexperienced to really know what was going on (_just pull that trigger, just stab right there. There's a job well done)_. He wanted to return to the days when the men he killed were just actors like he saw on the television. Pretty soon they would get back up again – it was all just some elaborate play that they were performing, only he didn't know why.

Survival was a funny thing. It forced you to make choices when you shouldn't have to choose in the first place.

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
18:21 UTC_

Neji felt drained, but at best betrayed as he pushed his key into the lock and turned; his door opening with a large click. He stepped into the warm comfort of his house, throwing his keys onto the kitchen counter before quickly stooping to untie his shoes and kick them onto the welcome met that Tenten had set out near the door so mud and water wouldn't be trekked into the house. Normally, he usually wasn't so…_undignified_, yet oddly enough, Neji couldn't quite bring himself to care.

He glanced wearily around the dark kitchen, half surprised that Tenten hadn't popped out, guns blazing in glory. Passing a hand over his weary face, Neji thought that maybe the emotion he was feeling was irritation. Normally, he tried not to be too marred with emotions. In retrospect, they were a hindrance, capable of diminishing rationale and logic. Whether he thought so because he just happened to be heavily influenced his father and uncle or whether it was one of those ever persistent Hyuuga traits – the ones that were bred for so long that they refused to die out – no one would ever know.

Gathering his senses about him, Neji picked up on the small, subtle undertones of classical music drifting through the house. Frowning, Neji moved silently into the well furnished living room. Seeing no one, he walked around into the dining room. Surprised quickly flitted across his face before it settled into his mask of impassiveness. Tenten was seated calmly at the dining room table, legs crossed and elbows resting on the polished surface of the table as she drank a mug of tea.

"Neji." She said brightly, her brown eyes warm and inviting.

"Tenten." He murmured. He was suddenly reminded that she too had been betrayed, perhaps indirectly, but her reputation had been sullied too, even if only in the eyes of his family. It was enough – usually the smallest of things were. No matter how hard he tried, reputation _did _matter; it was as much emblazoned into his spirit and being as his views on emotion.

Smiling brightly, Tenten drew her seat back – he winced as it dragged loudly on the wooden floor – and walked over, giving him a kiss on the cheek before she helped him remove his overcoat and scarf from around his neck. Taking them from his hands, she walked over to the closet and hung them up in their proper place. Neji watched her move, his eyebrows slightly creased. When Tenten came home, she usually threw her coat on the sofa where Neji would eventually have to put it away later. She never helped him remove his coat either, figuring he was man enough to do it himself. The question was, what sort of stunt was she trying to pull?

"What are you doing?" He asked when she returned and seated herself at the table once more.

"Doing what a good wife should." She responded lightly.

"And what brought this sudden change?" He asked, slowly moving to join her at the table.

"Your phone call this morning." She responded, before sipping her tea. "I didn't want your friends to be less than impressed with me."

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"_Lougung." _She said, giving him a smile. _"Have you ever considered our house might be under surveillance?" _She asked, resorting to her native tongue. It sounded almost guttural to his ears. He hadn't heard it in a while.

Neji sighed, pale eyes slowly roving around the room as he calculated the spots were possible listening devices or camera could have been placed.

_Would she do that to him?_

_Did she even know?_

_"Did you check?" _He asked, his tone perfect despite the disuse.

_"Of course. I'm not a _bandaan_." _She said, her eyes narrowing slightly. _"But what if I missed some spots?"_

The muscles in his shoulders tensed. It was all so _intrusive _and it made him feel almost angry.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, surprising both himself and his wife with his words.

_"What?" _Tenten asked, her native tongue so second nature it came out naturally in her surprise.

Neji hadn't told her at the time. He told himself it was 'to protect' her, but he knew, deep down, it was from embarrassment, from anger, from _confusion. _He couldn't admit what happened.

_Why him?_

_What had he done?_

Now he knew, and to make matters more irritating, it wasn't his fault. Yet things had catapulted into this ugly thing, bound to follow Neji wherever he went, wherever she went, tarnishing him. It wasn't his fault, but it ruined him (his reputation, but that's what it's all about, isn't it?).

_"Reputation be damned Hyuuga, you getter get out of my office now." Anko spat, her brown eyes blazing. _

_Neji stared her down, his own eyes icy in comparison. "What aren't you telling me about the ITP?" Neji asked. His voice was cool and crisp, every bit as professional as Anko's was angry. _

_Anko retracted at his question, the fire in her eyes simmering. When she looked back to Neji, her gaze was almost exasperated…and sorry. "Hyuuga…I told-"_

_"You know something." Neji said, cutting her off. "And I need to know. No more games." _

_Anko glanced away, sighing. Her short ponytail flopped sadly behind her. When she turned back to Neji, her eyes were set. "Let's take a walk." She suggested.

* * *

_

_Rome, Italy  
22:47 UTC_

He remembered him now. It had been a nice affair, he supposed – Anna's baptism – it wasn't really his thing. Kakashi hadn't paid too much attention that day; perhaps he had been a bit too involved with _Make Out Paradise. _

_Perhaps it had been for a reason. _

That also could have been the reason why the elderly lady across the aisle from his; a thick cross hanging from her neck, kept casting him dirty looks. It didn't bother him – Kakashi wasn't all that religious anyway. No, not anymore.

_"You silly child, His Lord Jesus Christ would never take me away from you."_

_"Forgive me, My Lord, for I am about to sin…" _

He did remember how happy Asuma looked though, they way he kept casting Kurenai these furtive glances, pride and joy radiating from his face, as if he thought no one could see him doing so. Kakashi saw him. Asuma was so happy, in fact, that a cigarette did not grace his lips the entire day. On the other hand, Kakashi had snuck up twice to receive the blessing of wine and a wafer.

But he did remember him – the boy – Shikamaru Nara. He was confused by the sight of him at first –he was much younger than Asuma and he seemed bored – more lethargic than he thought anyone participating in the baptism should have been. He was a scrawny youth, by Kakashi's standards. His pants and shirt a bit too baggy and out of place on him, his posture slouched, the way the fingers on his right hand kept itching toward his pocket, as if he wanted to grab something. But Kakashi hadn't asked questions, hadn't asked why his friend Asuma had chosen this _boy_ to be Anna's Godfather instead of him. He really didn't mind. He had turned away from the boy then, the image of the cross behind him burning, searing his memory…

Kakashi lifted himself from the couch and padded across his small apartment toward the kitchen for a drink. His television, softly blaring some sort of Italian soap opera; provided the only source of ambient light as Kakashi groped around in the dark to find the bottle of vodka he had last laid out. Sighing, Kakashi's nimble fingers pulled out the first cup he could grab from the sink and poured the clear liquor in. Kakashi wasn't much of a drinker, sure he went out for a beer every now and then with friends, but he hardly ever did it on his own.

_"Liquor dulls the senses."_ He quietly mused.

This was the second bottle of vodka he had gone through in practically three weeks. He heard as the last drops of liquid splashed in his cup before spinning to his left and deftly tossing the empty bottle in the open trash can. He heard the satisfying crash and the tinkle of the broken bottle. Stepping out of his kitchen, Kakashi shuffled back to the living room, softly setting his cup down – which he found had been a coffee mug with a giant scarecrow face molded onto it (_perfect) – _and turned up the volume of the TV before kicking his stocking feet up on the spotless coffee table. The TV continued to blare, providing the only source of entertainment in Kakashi's bare apartment.

_Everyone around me dies._

The quiet, _nasty _little thought probed through Kakashi's head and lingered there, almost as if it wanted Kakashi to suffer. Almost violently reaching out for the mug, Kakashi took a giant swig of vodka, not even noticing how it burned a trail down his throat. He was far too used to it by now.

He forced his thoughts back to Anna and Shikamaru, mulling over their situation in his mind.

_It was a much healthier thing to do. _

Should Shikamaru join the custody battle – and it was within his full rights to do so – Kakashi almost hoped that he would be granted care of Anna. Kakashi had become rather adept at reading people as the years seemed to roll past him. There was just something about the young Nara kid. Sure he had a rather gruff and lazy exterior, but inside, Kakashi could tell that he was kind and had the best intentions at heart. He didn't know Kurenai's parents all that well, and he knew that President Hiruzen could do without another grandchild suddenly popping up in his care, considering his advanced years and the fact that raising children was probably not the older man's forte; his wife having died years before.

_"Here's to you, Shikamaru."_ Said Kakashi quietly, holding up his glass. _"Proving that maybe children can make one's life better…"

* * *

_

_Tangier, Morocco  
1:17 UTC_

The air was stifling in their small cramped room, despite the fall season rapidly descending upon them. Green eyes, muted in the darkness, slowly drifted over to the small shabby window. She could almost feel the welcoming breeze that would drift through the opened window panes. Gingerly peeling back the thin sheet covering her, she shifted her weight, wincing upon hearing the bed creak. Her breath caught as the smooth tranquil sound of deep breathing suddenly stopped. She froze, the muscles in her stomach tense, her legs caught in an awkward position mid air. She turned her head softly, hair rustling against the pillows.

His back was tense and rigid; she could see the muscles in his back and neck coiling, like he was ready to spring and pounce. She held her breath, watching as rivets of sweat rolled down his skin, only to dissipate in the white sheets below. Slowly, she extended her slender hand toward him and placed it lightly on his back, letting the pressure reside only in her fingertips. His skin was hot beneath her hand, as if he were burning up with fever. She bit her lip, feeling that it was dry and cracked beneath her teeth. It seemed like eternity, but slowly, the deep breathing resumed, his muscles slowly melting under her hand. She waited a few more moments, her hand on his heated back before pulling away.

Lowering her leg, she slowly and carefully resettled back into her old position, but kept her eyes dutifully on him. He was hiding something from her; it was evident in the way his eyes, usually so clear and blue became clouded and misty whenever he looked at her. They were troubled, as if every time he looked at her, he was imagining something horrible. Usually, his posture was relaxed and carefree, yet as of late, the muscles in his neck and shoulders were rigid as if he were holding them together. His sleeping patterns were often erratic as of late as well, when he normally slept like a baby. She acted like she didn't notice, and perhaps he was naïve enough to believe she didn't.

The stifling heat in the room and the thought of opening the window was all but forgotten as Sakura stared at Naruto's back until she was positive she would burn a hole through his skin. Marcus' words echoed in Sakura's head and her lips pulled into a grimace. She should have just asked him what was wrong, but like a coward, she kept her mouth shut.

_Why?_

She was afraid, the little nagging voice in the back of her mind told her. Afraid of what Naruto would say to her. Naruto was more than apt at keeping secrets; he had been doing it for most of his life and Sakura was worried that he was lapsing into his old habits again. Sometimes, Naruto's secrets had the habit of being more than destructive.

"Why can't you share your burdens with me?" She murmured, the words escaping lightly from her lips.

Naruto's response was a loud yet comforting snore, his back heaving with the effort.

A light smile graced Sakura's lips and she shut her eyes, shaking her head. Leaning over, she placed a kiss on his back, as light at a whisper before rolling over and shutting her eyes.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
20:13 UTC_

Hinata sat cross-legged on her bed, the white sheets rumpling around her. A light smile on her face, she tucked a loose strand of long dark hair behind her ear as a well manicured hand stoked the picture before her. Sitting on her lap was a rather thick, yet elegantly designed photo album. Turning her head slightly toward the bed side table, the LED display showed that it was past eight at night. Sighing softly, Hinata's pearly eyes glanced toward her cell phone, sitting on the sheets beside her. No phone calls.

She turned back toward the photo album, trying once again to immerse herself in the photos and memories once again. Her father looked so handsome, his dark hair pulled back and his arm around Hinata, pulling his eldest daughter close to him. Hinata loved how his eyes were glowing with love and pride. And then Hanabi, in the next picture, her hair elegantly cascading around her face in gentle waves. Hanabi always was more beautiful than Hinata, even as she stood next to Hinata almost a whole head taller.

Hinata browsed through more photos, fond memories being rekindled in her brain. Everyone looked so beautiful, so happy that Hinata became truly touched. Hinata stopped, her hand settling on one photo. Her breath caught in her throat and a loving smile crossed her face. This had to have been her most favorite photo out of all of them. It was rather unconventional, what she had proposed to do, and Sasuke had refused at first – until Hinata had shoved the piece of cake in his face. Hinata was standing there in the picture, a good natured smile on her face while Sasuke ducked away from her, cake smeared over his mouth and nose.

It was the most beautiful she had ever seen him, with his eyes closed, dark hair swinging in front of his face with one of the most unbound smiles she had ever seen him with. She remembered his laughter, deep and just simply _happy_.

Casting one last look at the picture, Hinata flipped the page. She used to be afraid of Sasuke back then, the way he could command the attention of an entire of room – no matter its occupants with just one look from his coal black eyes. She hadn't been interested in Sasuke Uchiha back then. He was just like any other boy from a very affluent rich family and she had seen enough of those – there were plenty to go around in her own family. He had a legion of women worshipers – a fan club, if you will – which became an obvious deterrent. She only spoke to him a few times – he swore often – another deterrent.

Then he had left, gone to the States. It was a rather embarrassing time for Sasuke and not one that was discussed often. Life had gone on, predictably as always. Truth be told, Hinata hardly noticed the absence of the youngest Uchiha. When he returned, however, Hinata wondered how she had ever ignored his presence. Something about him had changed; others could only grasp at it, never fully realizing what it was. Kakashi, in the days after Sasuke returning wore a subtle smirk on his face, only hidden because of his irritating mask.

_"The prodigal Uchiha returns! Drinks on me tonight!"_ The loud shout, coupled with the rambunctious round of applause and yells that followed startled Hinata from her lunch of cheese and broccoli. She looked up to see Gai, a wide grin on his tanned face with a muscled arm around Sasuke's shoulders. Instead of the scowl that Hinata would have pictured on Sasuke's face during such a situation, his lips were pulled into a light and good natured smirk. She remembered furrowing her thin eyebrows, trying to make sense of the fact that not only had Gai offered to pay for drinks for the whole office, considering he didn't consume anything that might make his "youthful appearance diminish" but also the fact that Sasuke seemed…different.

Hinata hadn't planned on going – drinking wasn't really her thing – but Kiba had ended up dragging her along anyway, not because he even liked Sasuke or enjoyed his presence, but Kiba was never one to pass up a good time. She had gone, and in-between dodging her drunken co-workers – including Kiba; Gai having long ago stopped paying for drinks and trying to find some place quiet, Hinata found herself next to the once thought of formidable Uchiha.

"Hyuuga." He said, his black eyes shifting over to her. Was that disdain in his voice?

"S-Sasuke." She stuttered, her fingers suddenly twitching erratically. What was wrong with her? _"W-We've never b-been prop-perly i-introduced…"_ God, why weren't those three years of speech therapy classes doing her any justice?

He snorted, turning away and Hinata jumped at the harsh sound. A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. _"Your family's company has been the Uchiha's rivals for ages now. I think I know enough about you to constitute an introduction."_ He replied, taking a sip of his drink.

Hinata felt her cheeks turn hot and she quickly turned away, subconsciously trying to hide her face from him. Why was her self confidence – the confidence that she had worked so hard to build in the years since joining Interpol –crumbling into dust after just speaking with Sasuke Uchiha for a few seconds? _"H-How was A-America?"_ She asked, the insufferable silence bearing to much weight for Hinata to take any longer. She risked looking at him then, even if it was only out of the corner of her eye. He seemed to be staring straight ahead.

_"Perfect."_ She thought she heard him whisper, but she couldn't be sure, over the loud noises in the bar.

_"A good break,"_ He replied nonchalantly, _"But it ended much too soon."_

The change was quite baffling to Hinata and to make matters even more complex, she was baffled that she was even baffled by the change in Sasuke Uchiha. She began to see more of him, and not just in the casual, faraway glances that used compose their relationship, but with actual words that Sasuke deigned to speak to her. Of course, she still could not manage a sentence to him with out stuttering, which frustrated her to no end, but she found that their conversations, as short and dismal as they may have been; they were actually quite…nice.

_"Don't _fuck _with me Hatake!" _Sasuke's snarl had ripped through the room, sending a long suppressed chill through Hinata that she thought she had gotten rid of. Suppressing a surprised squeak, Hinata stopped short of the closed door she was passing, and with wide doe-like eyes, peered in through the glass pane adjacent to the door.

Sasuke stood with his back to her, although Hinata could tell by the way his hands were balled into fists, rigid by his sides, and the way that his shoulders were squared tensely that he was angry. Kakashi stood across a table from him, hands casually in the pockets of his pants. Although his posture was loose and casual, his face was stern and unforgiving.

_"I said to_ drop it, _Uchiha."_

Hinata backed away from the door, hands trembling.

_"Don't give me that fucking bullshit! I've spent five _years_ on this case; you cannot just drop me from it!" _

It was a good thing the office was practically empty considering the late hour, otherwise other co-workers would undoubtedly be swarming around the door – much like Hinata was doing now. Red stained her cheeks as she suddenly felt intrusive and embarrassed by her actions. Yet she stayed beside the door, for reasons that she could not fathom. Sasuke's voice – while riddled with expletives – was obviously angry, yet there was something else hidden there as well. No doubt anyone else would have glossed over the subtle hint of emotion hidden in Sasuke's angry voice, but to Hinata, it was painfully, yet wondrously obvious. Perhaps because she grew up in a household where wearing your heart on your sleeve got you both punished and ridiculed, but maybe it was also because she often spoke with such emotion in her own voice, often enough that she was able to detect the small hint of it in Sasuke's own.

He was desperate, she realized with wonder. Despite being angry and obscene and overall furious with his superior, it also seemed like he was desperately clinging to something that he just could not, _would not _let go. And _that_ coming from an Uchiha, any Uchiha let alone Sasuke was quite incredible to Hinata.

_"I thought that when you took your…break, you understood the terms under which I was dismissing you."_ Kakashi's voice was calm in the face of Sasuke's explosive temperament.

_"I agreed to go, despite_ your _misgivings. Neve_r once _did you mention you were kicking me off the case!" _

Hinata backpeddled in her mind, trying to recall which case Sasuke was so wound up over. It had to have been the Kyuubi case – it was single handedly one of the biggest profile cases that Interpol was handling to date…and also one that Sasuke inadvertently became the public face of.

_"I thought that it would have been obvious…considering the events leading up to my decision." _

_"You fucking bastard. You have no right to do this to me. After everything that I've done for you, all the time and effort spent…five fucking years, you CANNOT do this! I need to sol – "_

_"You're an embarrassment." _

Hinata reeled back and inwardly flinched at the change in Kakashi's tone. No longer was it calm and placating, instead it had turned harsh and even a tad irritated. Shivering, Hinata pulled way from the wall she had plastered herself to. She didn't want to hear anymore. Somehow, she just couldn't bear it.

Shrinking back toward her desk, Hinata bit her lip before quickly ducking her head as she heard the door slam open and closed before Sasuke's footsteps echoed away from her desk. She didn't look back up until she was sure that he had gone and her cheeks were done burning a fiery red. She was embarrassed, incredibly so for eavesdropping into a conversation that clearly was not meant for others to overhear. But perhaps more than being embarrassed, she was just confused. Confused between the image of Sasuke that she had held in her mind for so long, to the image that the past week had just started to contradict.

Before she realized that her fingers were moving of their own accord, she saw that she had used her security clearance to access the Kyuubi files. Before her conscious could catch up with her and remind her of the implications of her actions, she quickly printed the files out and shoved them into a spare manila folder before gathering her belonging and heading out to her car as fast as her feet could carry her.

The drive to the Uchiha estate hadn't been particularly hard, nor had it been that hard to find considering she had been there once or twice before. As she walked up the large concrete steps, Hinata's palms suddenly started to sweat and the folder nearly slipped from her fingers twice. What if Sasuke wasn't even staying with his parents while he was in town? As she hesitantly approached the door and gave it a quick rap with her knuckles, Hinata realized with a start that she would have to admit to Sasuke that she had been eavesdropping. Her hands started to tremble as she pictured Sasuke's response. No doubt he would explode, his reaction being similar to his response to Kakashi earlier in the evening.

Before Hinata could give it another thought, the door swung open, bathing Hinata in a dim, warm light. An elderly maid, her hair pulled back into a severe bun looked at Hinata expectantly.

_"Miss, can I help you with something?" _

_"S-Si…"_ Hinata stammered, her cheeks turning pink again. _"I-Is S-Sasuke Uchiha t-there?"_ God, with all the stuttering she was doing already, she wasn't off to a good start.

_"One moment, please."_ The maid said, giving her a polite smile before turning away and disappearing into the house.

Tucking the folder between her legs, Hinata quickly clamped her cold and sweaty hands to her cheeks in effort make the blush from her cheeks disappear. Suddenly, she heard urgent and demanding footsteps pounding across the marble floor followed by the slight clacking of heels. With a squeak, Hinata pulled her hands away from her cheeks and bent to retrieve the folder from between her legs, which unceremoniously fell, scattering papers across the porch. With a gasp, Hinata quickly bent to retrieve them, hands shaking.

"Hyuuga?"

Hinata glanced up, straight into the cold and unsuspecting eyes of Sasuke Uchiha. Her cheeks burned bright and she ducked her head, quickly picking up the last of the papers before hastily shoving them into the folder and straightening up.

_"What are you doing here_?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Even standing there in a plain grey T-shirt with a navy blue robe on, Hinata didn't understand how he could still be so imposing; yet he was which was why Hinata quickly thrust the folder at him, refusing to meet his gaze.

Sasuke paused for a second, letting confusion and interest mar his features before accepting the folder and turning to dismiss the maid standing behind him. As her footsteps echoed away, Sasuke glanced back to Hinata, whose gaze was still trained on the cement before flipping open the folder. The confusion and slight amusement on his face quickly turned to surprise before his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

_"What are you giving me?"_ He asked, his voice suddenly harsh which only made Hinata jump.

_"I…" _Hinata mumbled, resisting the instinct to begin tapping her fingers together.

_"You overheard my conversation with Kakashi didn't you?"_ Sasuke asked, the sound of his voice sending chills down Hinata's spine.

_"Y-Yes…"_ Hinata murmured, her face now burning shamefully.

Sasuke didn't respond, only letting the tension between them grow thicker. _"Is this some sort of game to you?"_ He asked finally, his tone the very definition of terrifying.

Hinata's breath caught in her throat as she attempted to respond. She made an awkward sound, as if something had lodged itself in her throat and she was attempting to cough it loose. She tried to bring her eyes up to meet Sasuke's.

_"You know, I don't want to know_." Sasuke said finally. He shoved the folder back at Hinata's chest which she caught, stumbling backward a step. _"Just get off my porch and go home Hyuuga."_

Hinata finally brought her eyes to meet Sasuke's and they were wide with both fright and disbelief. This only earned a scowl from Sasuke who crossed his arms impatiently, waiting for Hinata to leave. Hinata glanced down again.

_"I didn't…I_ don't _think that you are an embarrassment."_ She said softly.

_"What?"_ Sasuke hissed.

Hinata let out a breath, but when she looked up to face Sasuke, her eyes were bold with confidence – something Sasuke had yet to see from her.

_"You're passionate about something,"_ She explained, _"Something that most people can only accomplish halfway before they give up. I should know…" _She murmured quietly. _"It…it's good to know that such passion still exists." _She added quietly. _"Thank you for showing me that."_

She gave Sasuke a brief, but warm smile, slowly reaching over to push the folder back into his hands to which he accepted with a dumbfound expression on his face.

It only took a moment, but that moment seemed to last forever as suddenly, Sasuke was no longer standing in the doorway, but instead leaning forward toward Hinata. It seemed like it took an eternity for him to reach her, yet at the same time, he moved too quickly for her to really register what he was doing. His lips touched hers, a gentle but firm pressure before the cool air quickly replaced them.

Hinata opened her eyes, surprised by the fact that she had closed them and she saw Sasuke standing back in his original position in the doorway, as if he had never moved. So out of character was it that Hinata was willing and ready to accept that the whole incident was a product of her wild and clearly out of line imagination. Except Sasuke's pale cheeks were slightly tinted red and his eyes were dark and unreadable, however Hinata thought she saw a hint of both embarrassment and guilt pass over his face. Why on earth would Sasuke Uchiha ever be guilty about something? He seemed far too prideful for that.

_"Thanks for the files."_ He said, holding the folder up briefly. _"It was…nice of you."_

And with that, he promptly shut the door in Hinata's face. Hinata stood there in shock for a moment, not sure of exactly what happened. Sasuke Uchiha had _kissed _her – that much seemed for certain. If Hinata was truly being honest with herself that fact that he had wasn't really what surprised her. Sure she hadn't been expecting a kiss, no certainly not from him, but it wasn't what really shocked her. Hinata had been kissed before – she wasn't quite the amateur she appeared to be. Kiba had kissed her often, when they had still been dating. His kisses had always been rough and forceful and he always grinned childishly at her afterward. Hinata had always thought it rather endearing, but now…

Sasuke's kiss had been gentle and soft, something she _definitely _didn't expect from a man that intimidating. What was it about Sasuke Uchiha that had her continually revising her expectations of him?

Hinata pushed the memories out of her mind, smiling fondly at the thought of them. Of course she hadn't known Sasuke was engaged to Sakura at the time that he kissed her and it was honestly one of her darkest hours when she discovered the truth, but it seemed that everything turned out for the best, didn't it?

Hinata stretched along the length of her bed, reveling in the feel of the silk sheets against her skin when she suddenly jolted to a stop, her eyes going wide and a small gasp escaping her lips. Her heart was suddenly pounding in her rib cage and Hinata drew in her limbs tight to her body. With shaking hands, she slowly touched her skin, the bedspread, the photo album beside her. When she finally felt confident enough that the items that she was touching were real, she let out a slow and relieved breath. For a moment, everything had seemed like it was a dream, and Hinata became unsure if she was really awake or not.

* * *

Langley, Virginia, United States  
11:08 UTC

_"It's beyond both of us." _

_Anko's voice broke through the reserved silence that had accompanied her and Neji ever since they had left the CIA building. Geese squawked in the background and a cool breeze passed between them as they walked silently through the park._

_"How deep?" Neji asked. _

_"I don't know how deep it goes." Anko muttered. "You were supposed to stay safe and blissfully ignorant in France. No one expected you to bring the whole system down." Her tone was rather accusatory, as if she were a mother reprimanding her child, but Neji paid no attention to any of this. _

_"What are we covering up?" _

_""They could have had you, you know, back in May. But you were the hero. The children brought in a nice personal interest aspect, they couldn't bring you down after that." Anko said, seemingly ignoring Neji's question as she talked. Her eyes shifted toward the sky, which happened to be a brilliant blue before looking back at Neji. Her eyes were dark. Worried maybe? Angry? Guilty? "You're lucky they could pass the whole thing off as the whim of a mad man. You should have left it alone." Her tone was dark._

_"Not when it was on my doorstep." Neji snapped. Suddenly, something very dark just occurred to him. His hands clenched together in his pockets. "You were responsible for Paris weren't you?"_

_Anko stopped, a hand combing through her short hair and Neji stopped along with her. His breath was coming out in short angry puffs in the cold air. She looked over at him and Neji supposed that her eyes were trying to convey some sort of sympathy for him, for his situation. His teeth ground together in anger. He didn't want her sympathy, her _pity. _"Not me. But you must have known." Anko said softly. _

_Neji bristled at her statement and he pursed his lips. _He must have known_. _Of course _he had known – he had suspected and he would have been an idiot not to, especially when the claims were that he did something he knew he didn't, but what was the good of that if he was powerless to stop it? "Why?"He spat, the word coming out much coarser that he wanted it to. _

_"You were two weeks into the case." Said Anko. "No one expected the rookie to get in that deep. Even Interpol pulled out years ago…" _

_"You ruined my life." Neji ground out. It was an ugly little truth that he didn't very much like to admit, but there it was. He wouldn't just let Anko drop the situation like his father and uncle dropped him. _

_"I thought you liked Paris." Anko said. _

_"It's beside the point." Neji snapped, taking a step toward her. "My father and uncle refuse to talk to me. My own mother can only deign to call me every two months." His voice sounded harsh and cold, despite the emotional content of his words. He let out an angry breath, fixing Anko with a hardened stare."I can't even bring Ten Ten around anymore because the whole office stares at her like she's some goddamn whore!"  
_

_Anko pursed her lips for a moment and for a brief second, she did look truly sorry for him. Then she sighed and shook her head and the look disappeared. "You'll be responsible for running it again if you don't stop. Remember that Hyuuga." She said, before turning and walking away, leaving Neji alone in the park.

* * *

_

_Tangier, Morocco  
5:04 UTC_

Karim Martin was awakened from his rather blissful sleep by a loud pounding on his front door. Heart accelerating past its normal rate - most likely accompanied by a shot of adrenaline, Karim stumbled out of bed, almost slipping on a magazine laying haphazardly on the floor by his bed and grabbed the nearest weapon he could find before making his way to the door. Bracing himself, he quickly swung the door open before swinging the object at the intruder with all his might. Honestly, who came to make a house call at five in the morning? He didn't have to be at work for another two hours.

Surprise swept through him when the 'intruder' caught the weapon, which happened to be a handled dust pan and deftly pulled it from Karim's hands, pushing his way through the door.

"Really, I wonder how _you _became a security guard…"

"Naruto?" Karim asked, wearily wiping the sleep out of his eyes as he took in the sight of his co-worker standing there, hands casually stuffed into the pockets of his jeans as if he usually made house calls to friends at five in the morning. "What the hell? It's only like five in the morning…" The younger man complained, his posture sagging in his T-shirt and boxers.

"Listen, I need you to do me a favor." Naruto said, his voice turning serious and he steered Karim toward his couch.

Pushing the younger man down, Naruto crouched beside him. "I got myself into some…trouble." Naruto explained. "Don't bother asking what it is because I'm not going to tell you." Naruto retorted when Karim opened his mouth. Fishing in his back pocket, Naruto brought out both an airline ticket, an ID and a passport.

"Is that an airline ticket?" Karim asked.

"Yeah." Said Naruto, pushing the ticket into his hands. "This is what I need you to do. I want you to go to the airport and check in, only the airline ticket is under my name." Explained Naruto.

"Then how…" Karim protested, his brain already feeling sluggish from the lack of sleep. He probably shouldn't have stayed up so late last night playing _Call of Duty. _

"That's where this comes in handy." Said Naruto, now handing Karim the ID and passport. "_Don't _ask." He stressed when Karim opened his mouth. The ID card and passport were both an exact replica of Naruto's own, only they had been replaced with Karim's photo. "I just need you to check in and get through airport security. You don't need to board the plane."

Karim furrowed his eyebrows and glanced down at the items Naruto had given him. "But I don't understand."

Naruto expelled an aggravated sigh. "You're not _supposed _to fucking understand. I just want you to do it. I can cover for you at work, but will you do it?"

Karim frowned and looked down helplessly at the items once more. "Well…I guess they do look legit enough right? You promise I won't get caught?"

"I promise." Naruto stressed. "Just keep your head down, don't talk to anyone unless it's security. Wear a hat and some sunglasses. If asked your name, tell them mine. _Don't use your real name._"

Karim sighed and scratched his head, his long fingers running through his curly hair. "Ok fine, I'll do it. But you'll tell me what kind of trouble you're in tomorrow, right?" Karim demanded, looking Naruto dead in his eye.

Naruto's gaze never wavered from Karim's. "Yeah, sure, kid."


	8. Chapter 8

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Thank you Monica for the particularly beautiful review. I hope that you and everyone else finds this chapter enjoyable! By the way, over 50 reviews? You guys are awesome.

**Note2: **I can't write fight scenes. Really I can't. But whatever, that's it...I'm over it. Sorry if it completely sucks. **Three reviews for this full chapter is the magic number :D**

* * *

08: Beast You've Made of Me  
_(I've held it in, but now it seems you've set it running free)_

* * *

___Asilah, Morocco  
14:12 UTC_

"You seem…distracted." Said Marcus, peering intently into Sakura's eyes which were currently focused on the desk, a far away look in her green eyes.

Sakura blinked and then leaned back, caught off guard by Marcus' closeness. She cleared her throat and then shook her head before stepping away from Marcus. "Distracted no, tired yes." She joked. "My bedroom was like an oven last night."

Marcus pursed his lips, yet his eyes still seemed…suspicious of Sakura. "A pity. I happen to live in the comforts of air conditioning."

Sakura eyed him with a condescending look. "You suck." She retorted.

"Hmm…" Marcus mused, leading Sakura away from the reception area and toward a small coffee maker hidden in the corner. "You're not fooling anyone, Sakura. And most certainly not me." He said, grabbing a small paper cup from a stack and putting it under the faucet.

Sakura watched as the steaming hot coffee filled the cup before Marcus handed it to her. She accepted it and gave him a small smile.

"Is it Naruto?" Marcus asked, eyes full of concern.

Sakura sighed and took a sip of her coffee. "I suppose…well maybe."

Marcus leaned against the counter and folded his arms over his chest. "And…?" He prompted.

"And…" Sakura murmured. "I think Naruto is avoiding me now." She turned, placing her cup on the counter as she traced a lone finger over the rim.

Marcus frowned. "You tried confronting him? About what he was hiding from you?"

"I brought it up…somewhat." Sakura confessed sheepishly. "But then we got off topic and I never brought it up again. But I can still feel it, you know? The fact that he _is _hiding something…" She said frustratingly.

"And now," Said Marcus stepping away from the counter, unfolding his arms, "It probably doesn't help that Naruto is out of town."

"What?" Asked Sakura, turning toward the brown haired man, eyebrows knit in confusion.

"The security conference or something…" Marcus said. "You mentioned it a couple of days ago. You said Naruto was going out of town of a couple of days."

"I did?" Asked Sakura.

"Yeah." Laughed Marcus. "What did you do? Forget?"

"Maybe." Chuckled Sakura, grabbing her coffee from the counter. "Or perhaps I was just delusional."

"What?" Asked Marcus, stopping short from joining her.

"Dr. Haruno!" A female voice called, interrupting Marcus further interrogating her. A short, dark haired nurse shuffled over to Sakura, holding a brown folder out to her. "Here's that patient file you requested. Sorry it took so long."

"It's no problem." Grinned Sakura, taking the folder in her free hand. "Thanks Eva." Sakura quickly downed the rest of her coffee, chucking the empty cup in the trash bin before moving off, flipping the folder open in the process.

"What did you mean, 'delusional'?" Marcus asked, quickly catching up to Sakura, his hands in his pockets and his blue eyes concerned.

Sakura glanced over at him. "Naruto's been avoiding me, but he didn't flee the country. You must have caught me at a bad time when I said that. Perhaps I was sleep or coffee deprived. Funny, because I don't remember saying that…" Sakura mused.

"Fancy that…" Marcus murmured darkly. "Hey, do you think it's ok if I take a quick break? I just remembered I forgot to do something important this morning."

"It's fine." Said Sakura. "Its been slow around here anyway. Take your time. If I need you for anything, I call you."

"Thanks." Said Marcus, quickly kissing her cheek. "You are a life saver."

Sakura blushed, shaking her head as she pushed him off before Marcus quickly jogged away down the opposite way, an anxious jitter in his step.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
9:00 UTC_

The steady sound of trickling water from an old stone fountain sitting in the courtyard accompanied the resounding echo of the doorbell as Kakashi stood leaning causally against the door frame, his eyes carefully examining the white paint that was peeling from the wooden frame. The grey haired man closed his eyes for a brief second, inhaling the strong scent of the clean air and ivy that adorned the walls. It was only moments later when Kakashi heard a muffled scuffling coming from inside the door before it finally swung open, revealing a rather disgruntled Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Pity reflected in Kakashi's singular eye as he took in Hiruzen's appearance. It was clear from the way the older man held himself and in the dim look in his eyes that Asuma's death had aged him way past his years.

_"I come bearing gifts."_ Said Kakashi, pivoting away from the frame in one swift movement. He held out a tray of coffee with a box of doughnuts neatly balanced on top as he used his other hand to brush the dust and peeling paint from his shoulders.

The older man glanced up at Kakashi, briefly regarding him before turning his attention toward the box Kakashi held. "Hmm…" He said, lifting the lid, carefully eyeing the doughnuts lying inside. _"That's that American crap. The doctors said I need to watch my diet." _

_"One doughnut isn't going to kill you."_ Kakashi responded lightly, edging past Hiruzen into the house. The house seemed to be more cluttered than Kakashi had ever remembered it to be. He dodged various piles of books and papers that were situated on the floor – table space clearly no longer available. The house smelled musty, tinged with the smell of old paper, as if it hadn't been aired out in days. Most of the rooms were dark, the blinds pulled tightly shut. Little light filtered in through the house. Dust permeated the air and Kakashi gave a subtle cough. The floors creaked under Kakashi's shoes and it rang eerily throughout the entire house. Paintings of Italian landscapes hung awkwardly from the wall, a clear layer of dust thinly veiling them.

_"The maid hasn't shown up yet."_ Hiruzen said as he led Kakashi toward the kitchen. _"So…don't mind the mess." _

_"Are you sure you even have a maid?"_ Kakashi muttered, peering into an open doorway. The room was overflowing with books. Kakashi supposed they didn't call him the Professor for nothing.

_"Smartass."_ Hiruzen grumbled.

_"Is Konohamaru home?"_ Kakashi asked, setting the coffee and doughnuts down on the kitchen table, quickly swiping aside the files and papers that Hiruzen had left scattered out. The old wooden table creaked as Kakashi pushed down on it. He sat down in one of the accompanying chairs and glanced around the kitchen. Sunlight poured in through the wide windows and reflected against the pale yellow walls. Paint was peeling slightly from them too. The whole place needed a paint job and a good washing Kakashi realized dismally. Stacks of dirty dishes were piled in the sink – from Konohamaru or Hiruzen Kakashi didn't know.

_"No."_ Hiruzen sighed, plopping down on one of the wooden chairs. _"The kid's gone to school. That's what kids do theses days, remember? Unlike your smartass…" _

"Hm." Kakashi mused. _"I'll save him a doughnut then."_ He said, ignoring Hiruzen's remark as he plucked a coffee from the tray and took a sip. _"Is he…"_

_"He's doing alright."_ Hiruzen admitted. _"It's been hard for him to…adjust. The other kids are alright toward him, but he tends to get…rough and on edge with them. School psychiatrist said he's progressing. He didn't take lightly to…well…you know." _Said Hiruzen, looking off.

Kakashi picked at a stray thread on his jacket sleeve. It must have been hard, to find out that you had this whole family waiting for you that you never knew about, only to have one member violently ripped away, whether it was of their own volition or not.

_"He was convinced for a while that it was them – that they were coming to take him back and they were starting with his family as a way to…punish him. You can imagine that required extra counseling, as if the bill needed to be higher."_ Hiruzen muttered darkly.

_"He still doesn't feel safe here." _Kakashi commented.

_"I wouldn't call it that."_ Hiruzen grumbled. "_He's a good boy…a good grandson. I don't think any of us can imagine what he's been through. He's adapted well…considering." _

_"You've come to talk to me about Anna."_ Hiruzen said finally after a bout of silence between them. _"And you're trying to butter me up with your powdered sweets."_ He said, reluctantly plucking at one of the powdered doughnuts.

_"Is it working?"_ Kakashi asked, his the coffee halfway to his mouth.

Hiruzen shrugged and took a bite, power sprinkling onto the table. _"Social services called me the other day and informed me of the situation. I can't say I'm exactly pleased, considering, but I'm not all that upset either." _

_"He was a friend of Asuma's." _Said Kakashi, noticing how the mention of the deceased Sarutobi's name made both of them bristle uncomfortably.

_"They said you spoke with him."_ Said Hiruzen, taking another bite of his doughnut. He was uncomfortable.

_"Maybe…"_ Began Kakashi.

_"You think I'm too old."_ Hiruzen said, cutting the younger man off. _"Too old to be taking care of lost long grandsons and granddaughters who have lost their parents to insanity."_ Hiruzen commented bitterly.

Kakashi didn't respond, only looked down at the wooden table, tracing the remnants of coffee mug stains with his eye.

_"Humph, no response."_ Hiruzen muttered. _"I must be speaking the truth."_

_"You know that I don't find you inadequate."_ Kakashi finally responded.

Hiruzen didn't respond. Instead he sighed and stood up, his chair scraping against the floor with a squeak and paced over to the singular window. He seemed to be staring intently at a piece of paper that was stuck in the frame. Kakashi hadn't noticed it before – it was yellowing with age and from over exposure to the sun, but now, as Kakashi stared at it, he could make out a younger Hiruzen, arm in arm with a younger man whose blond hair stuck out in an untamed mess and whose smile seemed to be boundless. Kakashi quickly turned away.

_"I've seen a lot of things in my lifetime,"_ Hiruzen said. _"Most I would never want to see again, nor wish upon anyone else." _

Kakashi's finger prodded at a stray crumb on the table.

_"Long enough to see my son and grandson ripped from me, to be blackmailed and then have them thrown back at me, broken and in shambled, when I'm years past my prime. The bitter sadness of it all."_ He gave out a stark laugh as he turned to Kakashi and his eyes seemed to waver. _"I've made terrible mistakes in the past, but I'll try not to let this be one of them. I'll meet with Shikamaru Nara myself, would that please you?"_ Hiruzen asked.

Kakashi sighed, the corners of his lips turning up underneath his mask. _"It was never a matter of pleasing _me_, Mr. President." _

_"Eh, bullshit."_ Hiruzen scoffed. _"You can here for a reason, no?"_

_"Only to impart my…belief that you take the Nara boy into consideration."_ Kakashi replied wryly.

_"Consider it taken."_ Hiruzen replied, crossing his arms over his chest. _"I suppose you know a thing or two about custody matters anyway." _

Kakashi sighed, shaking his head as he stood up and pushed in his chair. _"I'll leave the doughnuts with you. Don't eat them all – save some for Konohamaru." _He turned to leave.

_"Kakashi, I've always known you've had good judgment." _Hiruzen called out. _"Just like–" _

"Hiruzen." Kakashi said, stopping. "Let's not bring up old ghosts." Then he continued, walking down the dusty and book trodden hallway, the door swinging shut behind him with a creak.

_"Old ghosts."_ Hiruzen murmured turning back to eye the singular picture in stuck in the window frame. _"The irony I'm not one of them."_

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:15 UTC_

Hitching her wide canvas bag higher on her shoulder, Sakura flung her arms up, pale arms reflecting in the sunlight as she quickly pushed back her hair; simultaneously pulling the black hair band from her slender wrist with practiced hands to keep her hair in place.

Despite the supposed autumn weather, the sun was still beating down mercilessly on the Moroccan inhabitants as they busied themselves with their daily lives. Tourists and the like filed in and out small cafes; street vendors called out raucously to passerbies, their wares gripped in their hands. Sakura efficiently dodged past them, subconsciously passing a hand over her forehead and neck to wipe the sweat away. White iPod headphones swinging in pace with her steps, she paused to glance down at her watch. She had gotten home earlier than usual; the hospital had less and less work these days. Sakura wondered if a transfer or a new shift would be in place for her soon.

She absentmindedly thought back to Marcus, who had never returned to the hospital that day. Usually he was quite diligent and probably one of the best aids that she had so far. She wondered what business he had to attend to that had made him run off so quickly and never come back. Sakura bit her lip, pondering. She wondered if she should give him a call to see if everything was all right. In thinking about Marcus, Sakura's mind quickly drifted back to Naruto.

_Always Naruto. _

After mysteriously disappearing around five in the morning a couple of days ago, she came home to find Naruto already back – with no word on where he had disappeared to that morning. He claimed it had been for a jog, but Sakura found that excuse highly suspicious. Nothing appeared wrong with him; he still left for work every morning and came back during the usual time, always complaining about the antics of his younger (although not by much) co-worker. On the surface, everything was fine. Call it woman's intuition but Sakura was just not buying it. Even when he kissed her, Sakura could almost feel as if he were tensing up – holding her as if she were a porcelain vase ready to shatter.

Sakura sighed, rubbing her forehead again. She wondered if she was reading too much into it, as her and her large forehead tended to do. Turning onto a quieter avenue, Sakura was spared slightly from the suns rays as she jogged up the stone white steps.

Trying to shake out the depressing thoughts from her mind, Sakura bobbed her slightly in time to the music from her iPod. As she took another step, sneakers squishing against the cement, an uneasy feeling passed over Sakura. Now, Sakura had no claims about having any sort of sixth sense, nor did she claim to have any 'spidey senses tingling'. In fact, Sakura had come to realize over the years that she was about as unobservant of her surrounds as the came – maybe even worse than Naruto which she couldn't help but take offense of, but Sakura knew the uneasy feeling she got when someone was following her.

The back of her neck had started to prickle and Sakura could feel her heart start to race with adrenaline. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Sakura tried to calm her racing heart. She was sure that she was being stupid – after all this time living in Tangier, no one had ever come close to stalking or attacking her. She wished she could say the same about NYC.

Steeling her resolve, Sakura turned her head slightly, green eyes surveying the area behind her.

Nothing.

Turning forward again, Sakura breathed out an angry breath. '_Such a fucking idiot.' _She thought to herself. Yet the prickling feeling continued to assault the back of her neck. As Sakura turned another corner, the thought occurred to her that her follower might just be more accomplished than the average stalker. That thought scared her. Casually pulling her iPod from her pocket, she quickly pulled it from its jacket, careful not to smudge the back. Then, turning it around subtly so that it reflected the area behind her, she observed her surroundings.

It took a few minutes and she almost gave up, but when she saw him, her heart almost stopped.

Someone was definitely following her.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:19 UTC_

He had plenty of time.

Naruto checked his watch, languidly sipping at a coffee despite the erratic way his blues eyes darted around the area of the café. Naruto put his cup down on the table, taking a moment to pull the baseball hat lower over the brim of his eyes. He definitely had plenty of time. It was only around 4:20. Usually, Sakura was dropped off around 4:30, giving him a good thirty minutes to grab her and whisk her away, with plenty of time to spare before Marcus' five o'clock deadline. Hopefully, he and Sakura would be well on their way to some obscure village or the other before the British bastard realized that Neji Hyuuga was still alive and kicking.

His eyes once again darted anxiously through the crowd, hoping to see a glimpse of short pink hair before he reminded himself once again – he had plenty of time.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:22 UTC_

Sakura made a sharp turn around a corner, her gait just one step behind full out running. She was nervous and her heart racing. Fumbling with her iPod in her now sweaty hands, she used it to look behind her once again. Although she had turned onto a more crowded avenue now, in hopes of losing her pursuer, she could still see his shadowy figure, a couple of feet behind her.

She skirted around a touristy couple, frantically digging through her bag for her cell phone. Naruto, she thought anxiously. He would be at work, but he would know what to do.

_He can save you, _an annoying little voice in the back of her mind called out, before Sakura instantly quelled it. She didn't want to be the damsel in distress.

Sakura's fingers were shaking as she frantically scrolled through her address book before finally coming to Naruto's number. Rounding another sharp corner, Sakura's finger descended on the call button as a sudden force slammed into her from the front.

Giving out a sharp gasp, Sakura stumbled back a few feet as her phone shot from her hand, clanging onto the ground with an unsatisfying crack before a crunch echoed through Sakura's ears a few seconds later.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry Miss, I didn't see you there!" A good natured voice called out, although Sakura barely heard him as her green eyes were looking at the remains of her phone shattered on the Moroccan ground.

"Shit!" She hissed, her heartbeat now practically beating in her throat. Her outburst earned a few stares from those passing by, but Sakura barely noticed them as she whipped her head around, her eyes now crazed. Ignoring the concerned look of the man that she had bumped into, Sakura shoved her way past him and darted off into the streets, leaving her broken cell phone on the ground – but not her feeling of total utter isolation.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:25 UTC_

Naruto brought his phone away from his ear, a confused look passing over his features at the droning dial tone. His blue eyes gazed over the busy street, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

_Five more minutes_

Naruto wondered if Sakura had accidentally called him – perhaps one of the items in her purse hit the last called button. It's not like it hadn't happened before. But Naruto couldn't really afford to take any chances today, so he quickly hit the redial button before chucking his coffee cup into the nearest trash bin.

Her phone went straight to voicemail.

"Fuck." Said Naruto, standing up as his phone dropped onto the table.

His eyes urgently scanned over the crowd again, and he found himself desperately hoping to see Sakura. But the fates were not that kind and there was no sight of her. Tossing down a few bills onto the table, Naruto picked up his backpack that was sitting on the opposite chair and quickly swung it over his shoulder as he hopped into the crowd.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:26 UTC_

_Keep walking. _

_One foot in front of the other._

_Do _not_ look behind you. _

Those three thoughts were echoing, repeating in Sakura's head as she frantically pushed her way through the midday crowd. Her palms were slick and sweaty; she quickly wiped them off on the front of her shirt in an effort to stay calm. Her heart was still beating erratically. She was being hunted like a rat, she realized with dismay and she didn't even know why. Pushing past a couple more people, all the while ignoring the strange looks she was getting, Sakura betrayed her own mantra and swung her head to the left, trying to catch a glimpse of her pursuer.

Unfortunately, the streets were so crowded; Sakura couldn't tell the difference between who was supposedly following her and who was simply following the flow of the crowd. Feeling despair and fear lift within her, Sakura roughly shoved her way through the crowd, getting some indignant grunts from those she pushed before turning down a deserted alleyway.

Not bothering to check behind her, Sakura broke into a full out run.

Sharply skidding around another corner, her feet almost slipping out from underneath her, Sakura caught herself with her hands roughly scrapping against the alley floor. Ignoring the slight sting, Sakura ran to the nearest door, rattling it as she tried to pull it open. It wouldn't budge.

Wasting no time, she quickly ran to the next door, throttling it, but it too would not come open. Giving out a scared and exasperated sigh she ran to each door with a desperate attempt to pull it open, but each time to no avail.

She could feel the hysterics and tears boiling up within her as she ran to the last door at the end, almost throwing her arm out as she lunged forward and pulled back on the handle. Shaking it mercilessly, she gave out a yell.

"Open you mother_fucking_ door!" She cried. Letting out a few hot tears down her face, she paused in her tirade – she heard light footsteps, carefully echoing down the alleyway she had just come. Breath catching in her throat, Sakura quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand before skirting around the next corner.

* * *

_Tangier, Morocco  
16:29 UTC_

"God, no." Said Naruto, looking down to see what he had just stepped on. Nudging the small object forward with his shoe, he saw that it was the back piece to a phone that had been cracked in half. The shiny cherry red finish glinted in the sun, almost as if it was mocking him.

It was definitely Sakura's phone – it would explain why her phone had went directly to voicemail. Looking around, Naruto could see scattered pieces of the phone on the ground, no doubt the result of hundreds of trampling feet.

Naruto had run from Sakura's drop off point, practically back to their apartment following the usual route that he knew Sakura took home. The remains of Sakura's phone were not too far from where Naruto had been sitting at the café only a few minutes ago. Letting out another silent curse, Naruto scanned the area, his height giving him an advantage over most of the heads in the crowd. Despite that, she still could not get a glimpse of Sakura's pink head.

Refusing to give up, Naruto spun around. There had to be some way for him to find her. His eyes danced along the rooftops of the buildings before he started moving again. Pushing his way through the crowd, Naruto turned into an open entryway and darted up the stairs, his long legs taking two at a time. He quickly continued, spiraling up the dark staircases, once passing an innocent family sitting around a table before he reached a door. Pulling it open, it hit the wall with a sudden bang before he slammed it back in place.

He glanced up, the clear blue sky in front of him, tinged with bits of pink from the soon to be setting sun. Squashing himself against the wall, Naruto's hands felt lightly along the stucco walls before he jumped up at the opposite wall, using his momentum to help him scurry up and over the railing and onto the roof.

Wasting no time, he ran to the edge as a huge gust of wind came, blowing off his black baseball cap. Blond locks freely dancing in the wind, Naruto's eyes scanned the city. Throngs of people filled the streets and the sun bounced harshly over the whitewashed walls. Groaned and shaking his head, Naruto turned to the right and continued to scan. He almost missed him, among the people filling the streets and the clothes lines dancing in the way, but Naruto caught a quick glimpse of Marcus' bronze hair glinting brightly in the sun before he disappeared into the shadows.

"Shit eating bastard!" Naruto growled before darting off.

After running to the edge of the roof in the direction where he had seen Marcus disappear, Naruto took a daring leap off the roof, legs tucking into a roll as he landed on the next, much shorter roof.

Barely skidding to a stop, Sakura threw all her weight into the door before it banged open. Giving a startled cry of relief, Sakura's hand reached up to massage her injured shoulder as she darted up the creaky stairs into the dark and almost foreboding apartment.

Her breathing was becoming harsh and choppy as she raced up the stairs. God she was out of shape. She slumped quickly against the wall, her eyes frantically looking toward the stairs and her ears twitching at every sound she heard. Pushing off the wall again, she found the door to roof and quickly burst through, it banging loudly against the wall.

Emerging into fresh air, Sakura ran to the edge. There had to be a way out of the apartment without running into her pursuer and without killing herself. She could smell the scent of the sea from her spot, its salty yet soothing smell. It had been too long since she had been to the beach with Naruto…

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, she tried focusing on how she was going to get off the roof and back to her own apartment. Spinning around, Sakura situated herself in the direction she figured her apartment was in and ran to the edge. Luckily, it was an only short drop down to the next roof. Carefully dropping down, her scraped hand grating against the edge as she dropped to the next roof. She grunted, as she fell onto her backside, lightly wiping the dirt off her hand as she picked herself up and ran to the next roof.

Naruto skidded to a stop as he looked out into the city again, trying to catch another glimpse of Marcus.

_Please let Sakura be alright._

Naruto anxiously tapped his foot against the roof, as he continued to scan the area for Marcus. Glancing into an adjacent empty alleyway, Naruto spotted Marcus, his head upturned as he scanned the rooftops. Narrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Naruto scanned roofs, looking for the source of Marcus' interest when he saw Sakura, precariously standing at the edge of a roof to the left of Marcus. His heart jumped into his throat as he watched her jump, sailing over the gap from the high roof to the next, tumbling as she landed. As soon as Sakura hit the roof, he saw Marcus dart off in her direction.

Naruto didn't waste a second.

Sakura clamored over another roof and she had to admit, she was getting better at it. She ducked under some clothes lines, the clothes flapping in her face when she spotted a decaying wooden window leading down into the apartment. Gritting her teeth, Sakura shoved her sneakered foot into the window, cringing away at the sound of the glass tinkling down against the stairs. Stepping in, in an effort to gingerly avoid the glass, Sakura lost her balance and slipped down a few stairs. She let out an indignant cry but quickly clamped a hand over her mouth when she heard the creak of a door being pushed open, amidst the cries of children and the slow chatter of adults.

Picking herself up and hoisting her bag on her shoulder, Sakura silently crept down the stairs. Pressing herself against the wall, Sakura could see the open door just beyond the dirty landing tiled with mosaics. She stepped down another stair, hoping to get a better look at the door when she heard the creak of a stair. Sakura's eyes went wide with fear before she spotted another hallway. Thinking it could lead to another way out, Sakura kept herself pressed against the wall before easing herself into the hallway.

Sakura tried to keep her footsteps as silent as possible as she crept down past closed doors and dingy windows. Sensing that she was far enough away, her footsteps became quicker. The feeling of being hunted was creeping back into her heart and her breathing was becoming hysterical. She leaned against a wall, her chest heaving and her fingers gripped at the wall, paint chipping under her fingers. Leaning forward, she glanced down a hallway that looked over another landing and staircase she had just climbed.

She took another step forward when a shadow passed through the staircase and she saw a man, dressed in black silently climbing up and no doubt toward her. Letting out a slight gasp, Sakura's heart leapt into her throat and she spun away from the wall. She turned down another hallway, passing an open balcony, clothes lines cutting through the view. Sakura turned away, knowing she would never survive if she jumped from there. She passed more windows, cleaner than the ones she had seen before. Walking into another room, she found another balcony.

Sakura felt like she was going to cry and she realized that she was never going to get out of the apartment alive. She choked back a sob before quickly wiping her nose with the back of her hand. She stood there for a few moments as she tried to collect herself and calm her breathing. She had to fight, she resolved with a start. There was no way she couldn't. It's what Naruto would have wanted her to do. Even if she was going to die, she couldn't just let people _think _Sakura Haruno wasn't going to go down without a fight.

Gripping her bag, Sakura pressed herself against the wall, waiting for the sound of creaking footsteps against the wood.

Sakura wasn't used to violence. Despite her sometimes violent tendencies, she had never laid hands on another person – not including her stint with Naruto those many months ago. Yet when she heard those footsteps right outside her room, she swung her bag out at her pursuer with as much force and intent as anyone used to swinging their bags in people faces would have done. The man – whoever he was – clearly wasn't expecting Sakura's attack for he grunted and stumbled back a few steps.

Unfortunately, the man was well practiced and he quickly grabbed the bag, ripping it from Sakura's fingers and tossing it aside. Using the man's momentary distraction as he tossed the bag away, Sakura reared her foot up and aimed a kick at the man's stomach.

She felt it make contact before her ankle was grabbed and Sakura felt a harsh pulling in her leg before she was airborne, then crashing against the floor and her head hitting the wall. Dazed, Sakura looked up and tried to pick herself up.

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to do this Sakura."

Green eyes darting up at the familiar voice, Sakura's blood turned to ice as she found Marcus Albright in front of her.

"No." She found herself saying. "You can't…"

"But I can." He responded, in what she assumed was meant to be a sympathetic voice had she found him capable of sympathy at the moment. "I wouldn't have to…if only your darling boyfriend had stuck to his instructions."

"Naruto?" Sakura gasped. "No, you can't…you're a doctor…" She protested, trying to wrap her mind around the predicament she was in – on the verge of death at the hands of a man who she thought was her aide.

"I'm not." He responded, giving her a chilling smile as he advanced. "Although it was quite fun getting to play one."

"Why would you…?" Sakura asked, trying to form the right question in her mind as she tried to inch backward with her legs. Had everything been a lie? Their friendship? They weren't even friends, Sakura realized with a start. This man with whom she shared salads and details about her personal relationships…she felt sick to her stomach. "Bastard." She murmured.

"Yes, it does always come down to that." Marcus said, pausing before her. "But I suppose if it makes my victims feel better…the name calling…well then so be it."

Sakura narrowed her eyes suddenly, at his words and Marcus found himself…intrigued. He had never seen such an expression on her face before. It almost looked…deadly. Pushing herself against the wall, Sakura picked herself back up, legs still a bit wobbly after being thrown around. "Don't think I'm going to let you just kill me." She said, her voice surprisingly chilling.

Marcus grinned again and it set her blood on fire. "Well Sakura, that's exactly what I was going to do."

Sakura, knowing that she didn't stand a chance unless she made the first move quickly lunged at Marcus, grabbing him with her slender arms before bringing her knee up and into his stomach. He grunted in pain, perhaps not expecting such a sudden and precise move from someone so clumsy. His hand found its way to her neck and he pushed her away, sending Sakura crashing to the floor again.

Sakura groaned, but quickly rolled out of the way as Marcus' foot descended onto the floor where Sakura's stomach had previously been with tremendous force. He tried again, but Sakura caught his foot with her hands before it managed to trample her neck. His boot dug into her palms and Sakura bit her lip as she tried in vain to push his foot away and scoot out from underneath him.

"It's futile, Sakura." He grumbled, pushing down harder with his foot as the pattern of the sole of his shoe cut into Sakura's scraped hand. Sakura's hands could no longer hold the pressure of his foot coming down on her and her hands slowly sank until they were hovering just a centimeter above her neck. Hands desperately shaking, Sakura let out a strangled cry.

"You motherfu – " Sakura's sentence was never finished as there was a crash from the window behind Sakura, glass tinkling just beyond Sakura's head and into Sakura's splayed out hair. Sakura's eyes reeled upward to see what had happened when the pressure of Marcus' shoe slacked for a brief moment before it was gone completely.

Marcus crashed to the floor, creating a resounding thud as another man – a man with blond hair landed on top of him.

"Naruto!" Sakura screamed; relief, joy and fear resonating in her voice all at once. With weak arms, she tried to push herself up off the ground as Marcus threw Naruto off him and got up.

"Get the hell out of here, Sakura!" Naruto yelled as he thudded on the ground.

Like _hell_ that was going to happen. Sakura pushed herself up and charged at Marcus, jumping on to his back. He didn't expect it as he reeled backward. Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, knowing full well that she didn't have the physical strength to choke him, but she was going to do her hardest to try anyway. Yelling it outrage, Marcus ripped Sakura's arms from around his throat and then turned, using the momentum to buck Sakura off of him. She went sailing, skidding into a small white tiled bathroom. Hands gripping the sink, Sakura straightened herself up, only to squeak in surprise and scuttle out of the way as Naruto and Marcus entered grappling.

Sakura felt helpless, pressed against the bathroom wall as Naruto and Marcus battled it out. Every time she got close to approaching in attempt to help Naruto, he always managed to see her and yelled at her to stay back. She winced every time they tossed each other around, crashing into the sink, crashing into the bathtub. Her heart was still racing, perhaps from anxiety, perhaps in fear for Naruto, but a darker, hidden part of her brain realized that her heart was pumping with adrenaline for one other ugly disgusting reason.

She _wanted _to see Marcus die.

She had never wished death upon anyone ever before – being a doctor made her cringe at the word of it, her heart ache at the sight of it. But as she watched Naruto duck under Marcus' well aimed punch and push his face into the glass mirror, the shards falling with a tinkling sound inside the sink, she realized she had never wanted anyone to die more than Marcus Albright.

Sakura almost retched at the thought of it, at her sudden realization, but her eyes were glued to the bloody dance in front of her.

Perhaps it was because he betrayed her. She had never been betrayed before – sure Sasuke had cheated on her, but he hadn't gained her trust only to lure her into his death trap. It was like Marcus was twisting his steal blade in her back. She hadn't known him for long, but it didn't change the fact that she fool heartedly placed her trust into his deadly hands.

And now she wanted revenge for his actions, for his deception. Sakura never thought herself as liking the concept of revenge, but maybe she did. All you had to do was get tossed outside your comfort zone to discover who you really were and Sakura wasn't sure if she was enjoying the real her.

Marcus was sporting a bloody nose now, the blood tainting his once perfect face and skin. Naruto's lip was bloodied, but neither seemed to be slowing down. Sakura found herself crying out to Naruto when Marcus pulled out a blade and stabbed it in Naruto's thigh. Her fingers were suddenly itching, shaking; her lip trembling as she helplessly watched Naruto yelling out in rage as he pulled the blade out, his hand turning red and sticky from the wound.

"You are getting to be a real _pain _in my ass, Naruto Uzumaki." Said Marcus, his accent coming out much heavier than he intended it to be.

Naruto slashed at the air where Marcus previously stood with the bloodied knife. Sakura could see that blood was pouring from his wound, staining his khaki pants dark red. Pulling her green eyes away from the wound, Sakura was suddenly distracted by something dark glinting Naruto's eyes. He was tired – Sakura could see the way his chest was heaving and the way the muscles in his neck and arms strained with tension and fatigue each time he moved. The fighting had been intense, but despite all this, the dark way Naruto's eyes had glinted just then had set Sakura on edge.

Marcus seemed to sense it as well – his face was unreadable for a brief moment before his hand whipped a gun that had been tucked in his belt from behind after parrying another of Naruto's swipes. Sakura screamed out to Naruto when she saw the gun as the knife clattered harmlessly in the white porcelain sink. Naruto grabbed a ratty towel from a towel rack, twisting it around the gun before flinging it quickly from Marcus' grasp.

Momentary surprise flashed across Marcus' face before he retrieved the knife from the sink and stabbed it straight through Naruto's hand as Naruto reached for him. Sakura found herself screaming again, her voice cracking as the scream ripped through her throat. Before another thought could enter her mind, she charged for Marcus as pain etched itself across Naruto's face. Before Sakura could lay a finger on Marcus, Naruto gritted his teeth, pushing his full body weight into Marcus. Marcus, who had been gripping the hilt of the knife as well as Naruto's other wrist was forced to break his grasp as Naruto twisted his wrist around with surprising speed as stabbed the exposed tip into Marcus' left eye.

Marcus' yell was a deafening blow to Sakura's ears as she stood only a pace away from him, yet all she could seem to feel, or taste for that matter was the disgusting feeling of bile rising up in her throat – as if it were the most revolting thing she had laid eyes on. _It really wasn't. _

Marcus dropped to his knees, the blood congealing and pouring out in thick globs and in rivets down over the hand it had covered it with. It was now coating the white grimy tiles red and Sakura, in her hurry to scurry away, tripped over her own feet and fell onto her butt, her shoe only a centimeters width from the growing puddle of blood. Naruto, already too desensitized to the sight of blood quickly pulled the knife from his hand, wincing in pain as he did so. Quickly clenching his hand into a fist to stop the bleeding, Naruto's eyes skimmed the scene before him, paying only a second's glance to Sakura – gasping and heaving hysterically at the sight before her.

_'You aren't a bad person, Naruto. But there are just some things in this life that we have to do. We may not like them, but it doesn't mean we don't have to do them.'_

Iruka's words suddenly flash through Naruto's mind as he moves toward Marcus relishing in the sound of his cries from the ground. Iruka had tried to paint a pretty picture with those words, explaining as best he could to the young child why he was forced to kill when he still did not even know the meaning of life or death. But despite that, Naruto had still cringed every time he killed – he didn't _want _to do it anymore. Yet, Naruto couldn't deny the inexplicable feeling that was sending shivers up his spine as he thought of his hands twisting, wrists snapping and the satisfying crack he would hear when he broke Marcus' neck as he bent down to end the job.

The undeniable feeling that he wanted Marcus _dead, _so much in fact that Naruto was considering prolonging his death just to make him _suffer. _

No, death wasn't a pretty picture and Naruto wanted to make it gruesome.

Sakura watches as Naruto bends to end Marcus' life and she almost lets out a sigh of relief because _God, _she just wants this to _end. _The blood is still dropping from Marcus' eye, landing with little plops into the already to large pool beneath his head and the sound makes Sakura even sicker than she already is. Naruto bends, and he's so close that Sakura can already hear the snap, even though the sound of it makes her cringe. She closes her eyes, because even though she wanted it only moments ago, Sakura finds that she is just too much of a chicken to watch Naruto snap his neck with hardly no effort at all.

But Sakura doesn't hear the crack of a neck; instead she hears a strangled yelp and then the sick sound of a crack against the tile followed by the thud of a body. Sakura snapped her eyes open, only to find herself staring straight into Marcus' eyes, one the mirror of perfection and the other a bloody gaping mess. Feeling bile rising in her throat again, trapping her scream, Sakura stared into Marcus' bloody face, her limbs unable to move.

"You were the one meant to die here, Sakura Haruno, and so help me, you are going to be the one to die first today." Marcus said, only the barest traces of pain evident in his dark tone.

Sakura opened her mouth – to scream, to yell, to do _something. _

And suddenly, it was over, and it was _sickening. _

A gunshot had pierced the air, as loud and as clear as it ever could have been. Something warm and gooey had spattered onto Sakura's face and she could feel it dripping down her skin. And all she could do was stare wide eyed as Marcus, a towering menace only seconds before, slumped forward to the ground in between her legs, a part of his forehead in pieces as the blood tangled into his bronze hair.

There was a clacking sound, as if an object had just dropped onto the tile and Sakura pulled her horrified eyes away from Marcus and the pool of the blood that was rapidly getting closer to consuming to find Naruto, still on the ground, calmly regarding Marcus, that same dark expression in his eyes that she could only describe as _dangerous_.

A high keening sound filled the air and Naruto's eyes snapped to her, brows slightly furrowed.

Silence passed between them and the keening sound grew more strangled. The blood was touching her now, and she could feel the dried blood caked on her face.

"Oh _fuck, _Sakura." Said Naruto, the dark look vanishing from his eyes and was quickly replaced with a softer emotion. Guilt or pity, Sakura guessed, if only she had the cognitive capacity to analyze his emotions right now. He got up as quickly as he could manage, limbs creaking with weight and he stepped over Marcus' body like it was nothing and quickly swept her into his arms.

Sakura realized at that point the high and annoying sound was coming from her.

"Shhh…" Naruto whispered soothingly as his hands, or rather hand rubbed soothing circles into her back. Sakura could feel herself shaking within his gasp, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. "It's over…it's over." He chanted softly to her.

Slowly bending, he picked her up, bringing her close to his chest. "Wha – " Sakura asked, but her voice came out as this strange warbled cry. God, she sounded weak.

"Shh…" Naruto murmured, his lips close to her ear as he carried her over the decrepit bathtub against one of the walls. Carefully placing her inside, Sakura quickly huddled into a defensive position, her arms wrapped around her legs, bringing them close to her chest. Her eyes darted around and they instinctively searched out Marcus' body, but Naruto caught her drift and turned her face away with his good hand as his other bloody hand turned the knob on the tub's warm water. He breathed a sigh of relief when the water turned on, slowly but surely.

The steady patter of water against the surface of the tub seemed to have a calming effect on Sakura and she felt herself loosening up. She glanced up at Naruto who was effectively blocking Marcus from her view. He pulled off his jacket, wincing as she did so and quickly shoved it under the water, before turning Sakura's face toward him. With slow, deliberate movements, he wiped away the blood from Sakura's face.

She closed her eyes against the feeling of the cloth and warm water on her face. She was reminded of that time, only a few months ago when she had run back to her hotel room, dazed and scared out of her mind, only to sit inside the shower with the water pouring over her head as if it would cleanse the memories from her head. Naruto had returned then too, to help her wash the proverbial blood from her hands. Now the blood was real, but the gesture was still the same. Sakura now knew that the memories of death and killing could never be erased, but she appreciated the gesture that Naruto was trying to make. He would always make sure blood was never on _her _hands, only on _his. _

"I w-wanted him to die." Sakura said softly. "I wanted it so badly."

Naruto paused, pulling away from Sakura to sit back on his knees. "And now?" He asked, as if he already knew the answer.

"I don't know." She mumbled. "It was so…"

"Horrible." Naruto finished.

"I almost feel ashamed." She admitted, ducking her head.

Naruto reached over, pushing some of the hair behind her ear and his expression was solemn. "He was going to kill you Sakura, he had been planning it all along. He was never…a good person."

Sakura nodded her head. She knew that, she really did. But then why did she feel so disgusting for wanting someone to die?

"When does it get easier?" She asked, after a few moments of silence.

"What?" Asked Naruto, almost startled by her question.

"To kill people." She said, clarifying.

Naruto sighed, and it was a tired and weary sigh. "…The day it gets easier," He said, getting up, "Is the day when you stop being human. Now close your eyes."

Sakura followed his orders with out arguing and she heard Naruto groaning as he bent down, before she heard a scuffling. 'Like a body being dragged away.' Sakura thought bitterly.

It was a few moments before Naruto returned, and Sakura opened her eyes. Naruto bent down, retrieving his wet jacket and tossed it over the incredibly huge blood stain, before mopping it up as he pushed the jacket around with his foot. Sakura stood, her legs wobbly at first, but she managed to catch her balance and she stepped out of the tub.

"If I had a couple of gallons of bleach…" Naruto mused as he looked around the bathroom with his hands on his hips. "But it's very unlikely anyone is going to wipe this place for fingerprints. I doubt the inhabitants of this building even venture over to this side, considering how shitty this place is."

"What did you do with the body?" Sakura asked.

"No one will find it." Naruto answered cryptically as he pulled a wallet from his pocket. Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and leaned in closer to see what he was doing when he opened the wallet and Marcus' face stared back at her.

Sakura let out a yelp, her hand covering her head before she aimed a punch at Naruto's shoulder. "What are you doing with that?" She hissed.

"I thought it might give us some clues." Naruto said, flipping through it. "But I guess not. I guess I really didn't expect him to have a business card or whatever in here. The only clue is this," He said, pulling a drivers license from the plastic sleeve. "Marcus Albright was in fact, Marcus O'Connor, born in Surrey, London. Guy couldn't have been all that bright to keep his _real _drivers license in his wallet." He said as Sakura pulled the license from his grip and studied it.

"Hang onto that." Naruto instructed, as he fished inside the wallet once more and pulled out a wad of cash.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sakura asked as she fixed Naruto with an irritated look.

"What?" Asked Naruto shrugging. "He's not gonna need it, why let it go to waste?"


	9. Chapter 9

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note:** Time zones. They are very confusing.

**Note2: **Oh god, it's finally done. Dialogue heavy, when compared to the last one. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reviewing! **Three reviews for this full chapter is the magic number :D**

* * *

09: Run Forward  
_(Even if you block me, I'll break through and keep going)_

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
8:30 UTC_

Tenten blearily rubbed at her eyes, letting a yawn loose as she padded downstairs in her slippers. Pushing back some loose strands of hair from her ponytail, Tenten glanced at the clock as she walked into the kitchen. Mildly amused at the late hour, Tenten put on a pot of boiling water.

Tea cup settled faithfully in her hand, Tenten walked into the study area. Smiling, Tenten was happy to see the sun pouring in from the large bay window. Really, it had been far too dreary lately and Thanksgiving hadn't even past yet. Settling herself in a comfortable chair and placing her tea cup down on the desk, Tenten jiggled the mouse and watched as the monitor buzzed to life.

Wearily glancing around the study, Tenten furtively typed the password in. Although she had thoroughly combed the house for any bugs or other devices, Tenten still could not be entirely sure that the house was clean. The thought infuriated her.

Opening up Microsoft Outlook, Tenten blew out a bleary sigh as she sifted through new emails. There was a coupon from Barnes and Noble; a couple of sales going on at various clothes stores where she had purchased stuff before; an email from Amazon telling her to rate her latest transactions – all junk by Tenten's standards. Then there was the actual junk mail. Moving to delete it all, an unknown email address caught Tenten's eyes. Pausing, she found that someone had sent her a greeting card.

Tenten sat back, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Who would be sending her online greeting cards? Hesitantly, she moved the mouse so that the arrow hovered just above the link to open it. She was weary. She didn't want it to be some hacker's virus that downloaded all of her personal information and passwords when she opened it.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Tenten opened the email.

_Thinking of You_, the card title read and it showed a happy flower with a pensive looking bee sitting on one of the petals. Tenten scoffed, thinking about how cheesy it was. She never really did understand America's obsession with greeting cards.

Opening it, she paused, leaning in closer. The personal message inside was very short.

_NH – _

_Ann Arbor, Michigan_

_Hope to see you there,  
Marcus O'Connor_

Oddly enough, it seemed to be addressed to Neji. The question was, who was Marcus O'Connor?

And what the _hell _was in Ann Arbor?

* * *

_Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca, Morocco  
1:15 UTC _

"See, what did I tell you, Sakura?" Said Naruto with a wide grin. "A dead man's money can really go a long way." Naruto said proudly as they briskly strode toward Terminal 3.

"Shut up!" Hissed Sakura, eyes furtively darting around the airport before she turned and punched Naruto in the arm. "You don't just say things like that out loud! Do you want us to get arrested?"

"Goddamn." Grumbled Naruto, massaging his assaulted arm. "For someone so slight, you sure do pack a punch. Tone it down, will you?" He said, giving Sakura a hurt look. "I'm still injured you know. And it's not like anyone heard me."

"You never know." Said Sakura. "I thought _you_ said we should assume there are eyes and ears everywhere."

Naruto scowled. "Well…yeah, I guess I did say that…so I suppose it is a good point." He acquiesced. "But you don't have to punch me!"

"Grow up." Said Sakura, hardly sparing him a look. "You would think for someone so…practiced such as yourself that you wouldn't be such a big baby." She said, hitching her canvas bag higher on her shoulder.

Naruto wisely didn't respond, knowing that he would lose the argument anyway. Sakura picked up the shopping bag she was carrying and rummaged through it, pulling out a plain looking cell phone in clear, plastic packaging. "God…" She murmured. "It's just so…ugly."

Naruto groaned and rolled his eyes. "It's a Tracphone…it's _supposed _to be ugly. Man, I don't know," Said Naruto, shaking his head as he took of the baseball hat he was wearing and ran a hand through his hair, "Something about woman…you just don't understand the meaning of flying _under_ the radar."

Indeed, in the past couple of hours, Sakura was getting the gist of exactly just what it meant to fly under the radar. After the nasty little incident in which Marcus was brutally disposed of, she and Naruto ran back to their apartment, with Sakura shoving as much of her personal belongings into her canvas bag as possible. Anything that she couldn't fit had to be left behind which made for some very tough decisions, all the while being pressured by Naruto to hurry up. Naruto, of course, had all his belonging neatly packed up in the black backpack he was carrying.

They had to hastily shove their last months rent, along with a little extra under their landlord's door, leaving the poor man without an explanation as to why the apartment would now be empty. Naruto explained it was always so much harder to pack up and leave when you were actually legally living somewhere – which was why he never owned a home in his entire life. It was usually a hotel room in whatever city he was staying, or he stayed with Shikamaru and Temari when he was in Florence, Sai's place when he was in Paris, and – if he ever had the guts to return to Rome – it would have been Grandpa Sarutobi's place there.

Sakura then had to explain via phone call to the director of the hospital that she worked at in Asilah that something had come up – an emergency and that she would have to take an indefinite leave of absence. Luckily, the director was a gracious man who respected Sakura and knew that she was a capable doctor that he could rely on – so he trusted her word implicitly. It only made Sakura feel worse because she didn't know if she would ever return.

Sakura sighed and glanced at the phone in her hand again before shoving it back in its bag. "I know, it's just…I miss my cherry red baby. Now it's scattered in pieces across Tangier with thousands of tourists and Moroccans alike trampling it. Not a very fitting end considering its service to me."

Naruto sighed, a grin marring his face before he flung an arm loosely around Sakura's shoulder. "You'll get over it."

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
8:40 UTC_

Pale eyes shifted, an almost amused light dancing in them, but otherwise indifferent as they eyed the cell phone – its last vibration reverberating through the wood as the backlight faded out. _15 missed calls. _It was probably safe to assume Anko was throwing a shit fit. Neji Hyuuga had never missed a day of work before – CIA related or otherwise, in all his years working a job. He would crawl to work, even if he was on the verge of death. He was diligent, organized and punctual; three qualities that potential employers would kill to have in an employee.

Yet today, Neji realized that something inside of him had changed. Perhaps he was being spiteful – like a surly child who refused to come out of his room because he was angry at his mother – but it was more than just that.

Someone was out to kill him, and if he stuck to what Anko thought was best for him, than his death was inevitable. Neji shifted his legs; loafers grating suddenly on the surface of wood and he was suddenly struck by the severity of it all. It wasn't a pleasant feeling – not in the slightest, Neji was coming to realize. Being a Hyuuga, it always seemed to lend to some air of indestructibility – as if no one could touch him, let alone harm him. And he supposed it had rubbed off in the way he conducted himself at the agency. Neji wouldn't go so far as to call himself cocky, but he definitely wasn't far from it. His cool attitude and demeanor made it seem as if he were infallible and unable to ever be hurt by the actions of himself and others.

There were only a few times where Neji had ever felt so precariously off balance and were he to be asked by another, he would have said it had never happened at all. The first time had been falling in love with Tenten. The feeling had come so quickly and with little warning that Neji was at first unsure what to do with himself. But love was a pleasant feeling, or at least it was supposed to be even if it was a first a little unnerving. The second time, however, had been much less…_romantic. _

Maybe he hadn't expected to be betrayed in such a low under the belt move. How naïve of him, especially when he thought he could hoard a secret against one of the greatest intelligence communities in the world. Anko said he must have known – how could he have not known when he was the subject of a supposed sex tape that he knew he never made. They were ashamed of him, they had told him – yet the whole thing had just been some ugly ruse; a punishment for probing too far into government secrets where they had expected him to fail.

What irked Neji the most was that he had seemingly played right into the CIA's trap. His clandestine relationship with Tenten during her time as a CIA asset was exactly what the CIA needed to put Neji's job in jeopardy. It mattered not whether he and Tenten made a sex tape or not. What had mattered was that the relationship had existed and that no one had knew about it.

Neji shifted angrily in his seat upon a vacated picnic table. The cold air gusted noiselessly around him; in the distance he could hear the sound of geese calling to each other followed the soft splashing of water. While he was obviously still pissed by Anko's revelation, he realized that there were far larger things to contend with than his own Hyuuga pride. There was some deep seeded secret hidden deep within the bowels of both the CIA, the Italian government, possibly even Interpol and maybe even every government agency in the world. An unfortunately for him and Naruto, it seemed as they had both been saddled with the job of taking it down.

The unceremonious ringing of Neji's cell phone quickly broke through his thoughts. With an inaudible sigh, Neji pulled his phone from his pocket, fully expecting to see that it was Anko once again calling him. He was caught off guard to find that it was instead Tenten calling him. Clearing his throat, Neji quickly answered the call.

"Tenten?"

"_Neji," _Said Tenten, her voice resounding through the earpiece. "_You got the strangest e-greeting today." _

Neji furrowed his eyebrows at her words. An electronic greeting card? Who on earth would be sending him on of those?

"From who? What was it for?" Neji asked carefully.

"_Well," _Said Tenten, and her voice sounded put out, "_Unless you have a gay lover, which I find _highly _unlikely, I think someone is trying to send you a message." _

Neji swung his legs quickly onto the sidewalk and pushed off from the picnic table and picked his way through the dead and yellowing grass, phone still clenched to his ear. "Tenten, what _kind _of message?"

Maybe Anko would get her wish; it seemed like he would be coming into work today.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
11:58 UTC_

Sasuke sat back in his seat and tossed his head back, giving out an exasperated sigh while his fingers combed through the unruly black locks framing his face. On his desk sat several different stacks of file folders and an assortment of other papers that literally covered his entire desk and keyboard. Blowing out another sigh, Sasuke sat back up, straightening out his clothes in the process as his dark eyes blinked a few times – they were bleary from having stared at small finely printed text and his computer monitor for far too long.

Shuffling through the papers that covered his desk, Sasuke searched desperately for the small bottle of solution that he _knew _that he had – he needed it if he wanted to combat his frequently dry eyes. Finally finding it hidden behind the stack of files detailing Asuma's psych evolutions and under some other papers, Sasuke unscrewed the cap and tipped his head back, feeling the refreshing liquid drop into his eyes.

_"Dry eyes…again?" _Asked a mildly amused voice.

Sasuke sputtered at the distraction, instead squeezing the bottle so that the solution splashed onto his cheeks. Angrily wiping his face with the back of his hand, Sasuke sat up to find Kakashi perched on top of his desk; squashing a horde of papers.

_"What the hell are you doing here Kakashi? I have a lot of work to do." _Sasuke deadpanned.

Kakashi shrugged, almost looking pleased which was a drastic change from his usual expression over the past week or so. _"The President returned today."_

_"And did he say anything of interest concerning Asuma's case?" _Sasuke asked, turning his attention away from Kakashi and toward straightening out the papers that covered his desk.

_"Asuma's…case?" _Said Kakashi frowning. _"No…" _

_"Then, sorry, but I don't want to hear it." _Sasuke groused.

Kakashi chose not to comment, instead opting to watch Sasuke solemnly with his lone eye as Sasuke bustled around his desk, straightening and flipping through file folders that the older man knew for a _fact _that Sasuke had already dissected each and every document that was currently present on his desk. With an angered and exasperated sigh, Sasuke attempted to pull the documents that Kakashi was sitting on from underneath his butt until Kakashi hopped off the desk and leaned against it instead.

Sasuke didn't bother to offer any thanks, instead shooting an offending glare at the grey haired man, as if to say he wasn't helping at all.

_"Would you like to use your words?" _Kakashi offered listlessly.

Sasuke dropped the papers he was holding with a grunt and slammed his fist on the desk. Kakashi didn't flinch. _"There isn't a thing in all this shit. Not one _fucking _thing." _

Kakashi closed his eyes briefly before reopening them.

_"I had a hunch. I had a hunch, and I followed it, only to land up to my knees in shit. Goddammit." _ Muttered Sasuke.

_"The psych evaluations…?" _Asked Kakashi, although he already knew the answer.

_"Normal." _Sasuke grunted. _"His responses were normal, no different earlier assessments, even when compared to evaluations first taken when he entered the agency." _

_"And what were you looking for?" _Kakashi asked softly.

_"Something…anything. Hints that there was someone after him, or that something was wrong. I mean, he never said anything to anyone, so I thought maybe he could have passed a clue in his evaluations, hoping it would get picked up…" _Sasuke trailed off and shook his head.

_"The only thing I could find," _Said Sasuke, picking back up again, _"Was that his last psych evaluation, taken a few months ago showed slightly elevated stress levels." _Sasuke paused, plucking a file folder off the top of one of the stacks. Flipping it open, Sasuke thumbed through the sheets of paper before stopping on one. _"The psychologist left a note, saying that the stress levels might have been caused by what they believed was a mild condition of paranoia, however nothing else in Asuma's evaluation could prove this theory. There was also a memo regarding Asuma's interesting responses to his Rorschach Test, but I'll be damned if I know what that means." _Sighed Sasuke closing the folder.

Kakashi furrowed his eyebrows and tapped his chin. Paranoia? _"What about his current case, the one involving the NATO officers…?" _

Sasuke nodded his head and reached for another folder, this one much bigger than the last. _"He was looking into the disappearance of several former NATO officers from across the globe, all having mysteriously disappeared within the last decade. While the case itself might be suspicious, nothing leads me to believe it was dangerous." _

Kakashi sighed. NATO, also known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was an intergovernmental military alliance, formed based on the North Atlantic Treaty which came into being in the aftermath of WWII. The organization was basically responsible for an assembly of forces for mutual defense if attacked by an outside party. The disappearance of its officers could have been caused by a variety of things. Perhaps revenge caused by a person wronged by NATO's doing. It could have even been a sect in the officer's own government, calling for said officer to go into hiding. Or…

Kakashi froze, not liking the direction that his thoughts were heading. "_Sasuke…" _Said Kakashi, still mentally debating as to whether he should voice the question or not. _"There wasn't any mention of the ITP was there?"_

_Please say no. _

Sasuke's head snapped up violently as he stared at Kakashi. _"No…" _He said almost hesitatingly. _"I saw nothing that could lead to that conclusion."_

Kakashi, his mind already spinning, merely nodded his head, as if it were all he could do from saying 'good…thank _God'. _

Sasuke stared dismally down into the papers still covering his desk. His fingers clenched and unclenched. Why the hell was he suddenly so scared?

Kakashi pushed away from Sasuke's desk and pushed his hands in his pockets. _"Maybe…maybe we _need _to accept the fact that Asuma's suicide was not provoked by anything. None of us want to believe it…but it could very well be the truth." _He said softly, his voice morbid. _"So take it easy Sasuke, take a break." _

_I don't want you to end up like him. _

Sasuke looked toward Kakashi, through the fringe of his hair and gave him that slow but sure Uchiha smirk. _"Don't worry." _

_I'll make sure not to end up like him._

* * *

_Aboard Royal Air Maroc  
2:20 UTC_

"_Kill _Neji!"

Naruto spun around, eyes roving the airplane to make sure no one had heard. Luckily, most of the passengers aboard the aircraft already had headphones plugged into their ears and were either watching TV or sleeping, blankets curled up to their necks. "Not so loud!" Naruto whispered urgently, turning back to Sakura.

Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head. "But why? You said that he visited you, that's not against some secret…law or something is it?" She whispered.

"No…" Said Naruto, his voice a low monotone. "But he gave me…stuff…"

Sakura's green eyes turned sharp at Naruto's words. "Stuff?" She hissed, peering at Naruto. "Could you be anymore vague?"

Naruto felt a small prick of annoyance at Sakura's tone flare up inside of him, but it was squelched almost immediately by the more overwhelming feeling to placate Sakura rather than fuel her on. His mouth twitched into a subtle hint of a smile despite himself. "Classified stuff." He murmured back. "Stuff he really wasn't supposed to show me I guess."

A light shifted in Sakura's eyes and she turned away, staring distantly into the vast expanse of early morning sky that was visibly available through the small slit of the window shade. "And you're going to say it is confidential enough that you can't tell me. Am I right?"

Naruto turned toward Sakura, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Sakura sighed, her shoulders heaved wearily with the motion as she slowly turned her head toward Naruto. "I wasn't going to bring this up…" She murmured reluctantly, "But now I think I'm going to have to."

Naruto shut his eyes briefly as he mentally braced himself for whatever Sakura had to say. "What?"

Sakura took a deep breath before continuing. "You've been lying to me and keeping secrets and it took an assassin trying to _kill _me before you decided to tell me the truth. _Why?_" She stressed, her eyes wide with confusion, as if she was desperately trying to fit the pieces together in her head.

"He was trying to _kill _you!" Naruto stressed, his voice bordering on defensive. "And I didn't want you to worry. Can't you understand that?" His voice was harsh as he stared at Sakura and his breathing was deep. He almost instantly regretted his tone, but he was surprised to find that Sakura's own temper didn't flare up at his words. Instead, her eyes had turned sympathetic as she stared at him and her face seemed sad.

"_Before_ Marcus." She said simply.

Naruto leaned back and pursed his lips, caught off guard by Sakura's words. She was telling the truth. He _had _been keeping secrets from her – long before Marcus had shown up on the scene. Why?

"I was…afraid."

Sakura didn't respond, instead slowly moving her hand until it encompassed Naruto's, giving it a slight squeeze, as if she were encouraging him to continue.

Naruto turned his head away from Sakura as his eyes drifted over the other passengers aboard the plane. He could still feel her small warm hand atop of his, comforting him, urging him to go on. But he didn't know how to continue. It wasn't that he wasn't used to telling the truth – he certainly had no problem telling Sakura the truth since he trusted her. But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to open up to her completely. There was still some small part of himself that was buried, deep inside of him that he didn't want anyone to see.

"Sakura." He finally murmured, his voice so faint that Sakura had to strain her ears and lean in closer to hear him. "You lived with your parents your whole life. So you can imagine that it might be a little strange for me to find how who mine were, let alone that they even existed."

Sakura paused, eyes widening slightly at the mention of Naruto's parents. "That's what was in the file Neji gave you?" She whispered urgently. "Oh Naruto!" She cried, flinging her arms and upper body around Naruto, effectively disturbing the passenger sitting next to Naruto who grumbled angrily before turning his body away. Sakura buried her face into the crook of Naruto's neck as he sighed into her hair.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, fingertips gently rubbing his neck. "I didn't know."

"Troublesome woman." Naruto murmured back, borrowing a line from his best friend as a light smile touched his face. "How were you supposed to know? I should have been brave enough to tell you."

Sakura pulled away and gave him a wry smile. "Tell me about these things next time." She said, bringing a hand up to flick Naruto on the forehead.

"Ow." Naruto mouthed as he brought up a finger to soothe his hurt forehead as Sakura turned to look out the window. "Don't you want to know more?"

"That's up to you." Said Sakura, turning to give him an honest stare.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
9:28 UTC_

His shoes were far too tight – at least for his liking. That was the first thought that went through Hiruzen Sarutobi's head as he strode through Interpol's plush lobby. It seemed a bit ridiculous that one could get so spoiled after only a couple weeks vacation, but, perhaps when you were old…

Giving his left foot a slight shake as he strode forward, he gave a slight nod to his secretary as she came bustling forward, sensible heels clacking on the ground as she looked dangerously close to falling and scattering the plethora of documents and folders she was holding in her arms. There was a look of both urgency and relief on her face.

_"Good to see you again, Signor Presidente." _His secretary said, giving a slight bow of her head as she fell instep with his stride. _"I'm glad to see you back so soon." _

_"Yes, Alda, it does feel good to be back." _Hiruzen sighed, almost wearily as he continued to walk forth to the elevator.

His secretary cleared her throat before bending her head to shuffle her fingers through the stack of documents in her arms. _"A few items of business…" _She said, her eyes peering up at Hiruzen before flicking downward once again. _"I received a few memos regarding ah…condolences from the local law enforcement agencies…I wasn't sure if I should have had them forwarded to your home sir." _

Hiruzen waved his in a dismal matter, indicating that it wasn't of any concern and that he would take a look at them later.

_"You received several calls of extreme importance agencies of interest in France, Germany and Belgium. I forwarded the calls along to the __Segretario Generale__, but a follow up with both him and them is probably necessary and recommended. As for the Goa case…" _

_"Alda," _Said Hiruzen, interrupting his secretary's sentence. _"I recognize that these are all matters of extreme importance and I will deal with them when I have time. Right now, however, I need you to phone Ispettore Capo Kakashi and let him know that I will meet him in his office in five minutes."_

His secretary was silent for a moment before acknowledging his request with a slight nod of her head. _"Right away Signor Presidente." _

Hiruzen absentmindedly pushed the button for the elevator, watching as his secretary bustled off, more business in her steps than sway, and he wondered if he really was getting too old for this job.

Kakashi, was in his office as requested when Hiruzen arrived, leaning casually against his desk with his arms crossed. His tie was loose around his neck.

_"Welcome back, Signor Presidente." _Said Kakashi with a slight nod of his head as he uncrossed his arms and braced them against the edge of the desk.

_"Don't bother with the civilities." _Said Hiruzen smiling as he closed the door. _"I'm too old and you're too old a friend." _

_"A smile." _Said Kakashi. _"It's good to see one on your face again. And who said it was a civility?" _

_"You can't fool an old man." _Remarked Hiruzen moving around Kakashi's desk to sit down in the chair. _"I pulled myself out of the house to tell you that I will back that boy Shikamaru if need be in the custody hearing if need be." _He said, jumping straight to the point.

Kakashi broke away from his desk and turned around, not saying anything.

_"I'm too old to be taking care of another forgotten grandchild, hell only knows that I can't change a diaper – Biwako always took care of that messy bit." _He said, chuckling to himself.

_"She'll have a good life with him." _Said Hiruzen, suddenly serious. _"Perhaps not as good a one she would have had with her real parents, but I think it'll come pretty damn close. And I think," _Said Hiruzen clasping his hands together. _"That Shikamaru Nara might be the only way that child can escape from this web, this web of lies, secrets, deceit and _death _that has me, you, Konohamaru, that poor Uzumaki boy and maybe even that beautiful Haruno girl caught up in it."_

* * *

_Aboard Royal Air Maroc  
2:59 UTC_

It wasn't very often that someone could say that their life was being turned upside down, yet Sakura found herself thinking this on multiple occasions – all within the last year. Sakura didn't think herself especially special or extraordinary, in fact she liked to think herself cut from the same ordinary cloth that made up white suburban America.

When Sakura's Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Morrison – a tall bespectacled woman who wore her hair curly and looked like she borrowed her dresses from Ms. Frizzle herself had asked the class where they imagined themselves in twenty years, Sakura had kept things practical. She imagined herself as a vet, living in Michigan with a good looking husband and two children. She had also imagined herself as owning a pet giraffe, but hey, Sakura liked to dream as well, even if they were tamer when compared to her cousin Karin who had proclaimed she would own a unicorn farm in South America and be married to the President of the United States.

Even though she had kept things fairly realistic, it was almost a shock to Sakura that she was probably the farthest from her prediction as she ever could be. Unmarried, currently unemployed, homeless and also running for her life from nameless assassins. Again.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, slowly massaging her temples with her finger tips as she blew out a sigh that pushed her bangs away from her face. She was trying to put things into perspective, but she wasn't sure what that could be considered nowadays.

"This is heavy."

"Yeah, well no shit." Naruto grumbled, shifting slightly in his seat.

"Last year…the ITP, _everything…_" Murmured Sakura. "We were only scraping the surface. This? This is…deep…" Said Sakura, sighing as she found herself unable to find a more appropriate word. Her fingers returned to massaging her temples.

Naruto's mouth twitched subtly at her choice of words, signifying that his sense of humor hadn't entirely evaporated with the urgency of the situation. He wasn't sure exactly what he found funny about Sakura's statement, but he found himself almost giggling in spite of it. Perhaps it was something that had to do with the severity of the situation and the fact that only such scenarios seemed to happen to the both of them that was making him giggle inside like a schoolgirl. Sakura seemed to notice this as one green eye shot open to stare at him with a crystal clear gaze and a hint of annoyance.

With extreme force and willpower, Naruto pulled his lips into a slight and serious frown that was more befitting for the situation.

"So…Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki." Sakura murmured. "What do you know about them?"

"Nothing. Not a fucking thing." Naruto sighed, almost in an exasperated tone.

"Did you Google them?"

Naruto bit back another bout of laughter in fear of inciting Sakura's easily fueled rage. He did, however find it funny how commonplace it had become to use a mere Internet search engine to perform the once tricky task of a background check. Plus, the words almost sounded funny coming from Sakura's serious tone of voice.

"Yes." Naruto answered diligently.

Sakura pursed her lips after a moment of silence and could not help connecting her current situation of prying answered from Naruto to pulling teeth. "And?" She asked, her tone rising slightly in volume.

Naruto's gaze was suddenly devoid of mirth. "Nothing." He answered earnestly. "My dad was some politician who died in a car crash off the River Po. It's all I could find."

Sakura turned away from him, tapping a slender finger against her lip. "A car crash off the river? Sounds suspicious if you ask me. What about your mom?"

Naruto shrugged. "Nothing. Not that I could find." He replied, shaking off the slight discomfort he felt at referring to people who were his 'parents'. He had always been considered an orphan, a thief, a _delinquent, _but never someone's _son. _

"Both of your parents have Japanese names." Said Sakura, suddenly staring at him intently.

Naruto gazed into her intense green eyes, her face only inches away from his; suddenly feeling an uncharacteristic blush spread like wildfire across his cheeks. "Sakura…what…"

"You don't look Japanese…" Said Sakura, frowning as she leaned back into her seat.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Naruto grumbled, trying to force the embarrassing blush away from his cheeks.

Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. "Might make my dad like you more. My dad really liked the idea of Sasuke when he heard his name."

"That bastard isn't Japanese. What happened when he met him?" Naruto asked, smirking.

Sakura shrugged. "He was a little put out, but he ended up really liking him anyway." Naruto let out a subtle groan and pushed his head back into his seat. Great.

Sakura's eyes suddenly widened and she turned her head to look at Naruto, her pink hair whipping around her face. "That's it! You could be just like Sasuke!"

Naruto turned his head, hair rustling against the seat. "That's sweet Sakura, but some how I don't think Sasuke and I measure up…"

"Not about _that._" Said Sakura waving her hand. "What I _mean _is that Sasuke has a Japanese name, but he isn't actually Japanese. I mean, he had an ancestor way back when that was, but really it's just the name that's been passed down. Maybe the same thing happened to you." Sakura explained.

Sakura paused for a moment, her head tilted to the side as she seemed to be contemplating something. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed and her mouth pursed, causing Naruto to lightly smile at her expression. Breaking from her reverie, Sakura suddenly leaned over the arm rest, her face having suddenly morphed into a fierce determination as she reached over, her slender hands suddenly frisking him.

The blood quickly rushing back to his cheeks, Naruto's breath hitched as his eyes first darted to the man sleeping next to him and then to scan the rest of the plane before resting on Sakura once again. "Sakura! What the hell!" Naruto whispered urgently as her hand dug into the pocket of his jeans. Seriously, couldn't she bother to _warn _him before giving him an unexpected pat down? While sex was probably the farthest thing from his mind considering the dilemma they currently found themselves saddled with, it didn't mean it didn't pop up on occasion – especially when her hands were digging down the pockets of his jeans.

"Where's your phone?" Sakura asked innocently enough, her hands pausing as she looked at him.

Pushing down the lump in his throat, Naruto pushed Sakura's hands away before he reached into the pocket of his jacket and thrust his phone into Sakura's waiting hand, grumbling all the while. Crossing his arms over his chest and pushing back the thoughts in his mind as he thought about how _illegal _it was to get it on in an airplane bathroom, he watched as Sakura turned his phone on, the HTC logo lighting up the screen.

His scolding from her earlier actions dying in his mouth, Naruto subtly glanced to see if any of the flight attendants were near by as Sakura navigated the phone's internet with her finger. "Sakura…you aren't supposed to have that on up here…" Naruto whispered, hating to be reprimanded by an angry flight attendant for using a cell phone.

"Shut up. If I want to Google at 30,000 feet then let me." Sakura snapped.

Naruto only smiled and shook his head.

* * *

_Aboard Royal Air Maroc  
6:06 UTC_

_ A warm voice…_

_A warm sweet voice…_

_What was she saying?_

_"And then I told Mikoto _no way. _I mean, why would _I, _Kushina Uzumaki want to go all the way to Italy? All they do over there is eat spaghetti and stand around painting and sculpting all day. Psh, _boooringgg. _So then – "_

_"Are you filling the baby's mind with your wild fantasy stories again?" _

_"WHAT? – "_

_(The gentle touch of hair brushing a cheek)_

_" – My stories aren't _that _fantastical, in fact…" _

Naruto jolted awake, half springing off his seat, startling a cheap fleece blanket from his shoulders. He put a tentative hand to his chest where he could feel his heart beating erratically. Taking his hand from his chest, he pushed back damp locks of hair from his sweaty forehead. His head was…cloudy; muddled. It hurt to think.

Shaking his head, he turned his head, his eyes resting on Sakura's prone form. Her head was slumped, resting against the closed window shade in a position that Naruto figured must be very uncomfortable. Another blanket – a clone of his own was tucked around her shoulders and an open copy of _The Sky Catalogue – _a gimmick by the airlines where they could sellcheap imitations of Moroccan products and ridiculously expensive Bose noise canceling headphones was open on her lap. Her breathing was deep and regulated unlike his own.

"Sir? Is something wrong?"

Naruto turned to see a pretty flight attendant; her hands perched on the handle of the cart in front of her looking at him with concern deep in her eyes.

"Uh, yeah…" Said Naruto, hand reaching up to ruffle through his hair, "I mean no." He said quickly, catching the drift of what he said as he looked at the flight attendant with wide frantic eyes as he tried to amend his previous statement.

_Kushina Uzumaki._ Hearing Sakura say his mother's name out loud, however many hours ago must have been the cause of the strange dream, Naruto rationalized through the slight pounding in his head. It was his own fear and if he had to admit it to himself – stupidity – that had caused him to not do a thorough search of his mother earlier. Sakura, on the other hand, had no such inhibitions as she found that not only was there a small village in Okinawa comprised of Uzumaki's, but that his mother had been the recipient of a prestigious international scholarship to _Sapienza Universita di Roma _as dictated by a short excerpt in an Italian newspaper.

The problem was, Naruto wasn't drunk, or high, or delirious, leaving Naruto baffled as to how it was even possible to have such a deranged dream anyway. And it certainly didn't explain why the dream felt so _real, _why he felt such a strong connection when he dreamt it.

Did he dream it? Or was he simply _remembering_?

Naruto quickly pushed the dangerous thought away as he heard the pretty flight attendant speak to him. He gazed at her curiously, his cheeks tingeing in pink at his embarrassment for not hearing her.

"Would you like a drink?" She asked again, her voice soft.

Naruto blew out a heated breath. "Coffee would be great."

She gave him a small smile as she nodded her head and bent down to retrieve the coffee pot. He watched her practiced hands retrieve a small mug to pour the coffee in. "Crème and sugar?"

"No." Said Naruto absentmindedly, his hand reaching out across the sleeping passenger sitting next to him. Cradling the cup in his hands, Naruto missed the sad sort of smile the flight attendant passed him as he stared dismally into the dark brew.


	10. Chapter 10

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Really Naruto/Sakura-centric chapter this time. Hope you guys enjoy!**  
**

**Note2:** Thank you reviewers! As usual, **three reviews is the minimum**, but the first three reviews can get a sneak peek into the next chapter! Thanks to Fooster 26, charles cdv and happy everyday life!

* * *

010: Life of Danger  
_(Be careful what you say, you'll give yourself away)_

* * *

_Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, Ann Arbor, Michigan  
9:45 UTC_

"It's…small; quaint. I don't think I've ever been to an airport quite as quaint as this. I think I like it." Said Naruto enthusiastically nodding, his blue eyes drinking in the sites around him as they exited the long tunnel connecting the airplane to the terminal.

"You mean you haven't seen an airport as _hick _as this." Corrected Sakura, her mood seeming to have soured the moment their plane hit the tarmac in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Naruto suspected her sour mood was due to a combination of things – most likely the fact that their latest flight from JFK to Ann Arbor had been delayed by a half hour combined with the already two hour wait as well as the fact that Sakura seemed very reluctant to return to her hometown.

Grousing, Sakura moved her canvas bag from one shoulder to the other before experimentally twisting her neck around to release the tension that had built there after sleeping on the plane for a combined total of practically ten hours.

"No." Said Naruto drawing out the word in disbelief as he grabbed the back from Sakura's shoulder and slung it on his own. "Hick, I'm sure, is…well, I'm not really sure what it is." Said Naruto suddenly in confusion. "Is it bad?" He asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh God." Sakura groaned as they passed by a crowd of ugly bland brown chairs on an even blander looking carpet that was supposed to serve as the waiting area. It was empty except for a lone elderly couple who looked as if they were flying to Hawaii; clad in Hawaiian shirts and all. Sakura could even hear the faint echoing of a vacuum in the distance. "How about we refrain from giving this airport any sort of adjective? That would probably be for the best." She decided.

Naruto sighed and shook his head at Sakura. "I think you are far too harsh toward your hometown. I think it could be fun, staying here. I'm looking forward to it."

Sakura turned toward Naruto, and Naruto could sweat there was an evil sort of look glinting in her jade green eyes. "You say that now."

* * *

_Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, Ann Arbor, Michigan  
9:50 UTC_

"Now this is like some sneaky CIA shit."

Sakura turned toward Naruto, a weird expression on her face. "What the heck are you talking about?"

Naruto didn't answer her, instead gesturing ahead of them with his arm. Following the direction in which Naruto was pointing, Sakura saw a tall man, his blond hair gelled in spikes dressed in a black clean cut pressed suit. A pair of dark aviator sunglasses obscured his face. In his hands he held a white sign that read **Marcus O'Connor**.

Instinctively upon reading the name, Sakura grabbed and squeezed Naruto's hand; with Naruto wincing slightly as her fingertips dig into his bandaged palm. "What the hell?" She hissed violently. Her eyes darted around the almost empty airport, as if she were mapping out escape routes in her head. "Do we run?"

"No…" Said Naruto hesitantly, his eyes scrunched as if he were contemplating something. "I think it's ok."

Sakura paused and turned to stare at Naruto with wide eyes. "Are you _fucking _insane?" Sakura hissed, staring at him as if he had lost his mind. "That man could be waiting for Marcus, he could be ready to kill us!"

Naruto grinned at Sakura, which only made her seethe more and narrow her green eyes menacingly at him. "I like it when you talk dirty, but I actually have a good feeling about this." He said, giving her a reassuring pat on the head before he started to move forward toward the man. Sakura, suddenly looking helpless at what she considered a crazy, ludicrous and sure to get killed plan proceeded to latch on more aggressively to Naruto's arm and attempted to pull him back using all her weight.

"Sakura…what the – " Said Naruto, his right arm pulled back as Sakura tried harnessing him back in.

Sakura knew that she probably looked ridiculous right now and that she probably resembled those bratty children in store who had to be dragged by their parents because they didn't want to go somewhere. But right now that didn't matter, but at least it was reassuring that there was only a max of ten people in the entire airport – herself and Naruto included. "_Naruto_, I _don't _want to have a funeral so early in life. What would they say during my eulogy?" She deadpanned.

Naruto bit back a chuckle at her words before he quickly stopped resisting to Sakura's pulls. Thrown off by the sudden shift of weight, Sakura stumbled backwards, only to be scooped into Naruto's arms and hustled over to the blond man that was still standing there.

"Sorry." Naruto admitted sheepishly as he bent to set Sakura on her feet. "My girlfriend…she likes to play these weird sex games and role playing and what not. I told her it's really embarrassing in public." His words only made Sakura turn bright red as she huffed at his reply.

The blond haired man grinned and used one hand to push his sunglasses into his hair. "That's alright sir. I have a feisty girlfriend myself. Are you Mr. O'Connor, sir?"

"Yes…" Said Naruto hesitantly, "Yes I am."

The man's grey eyes widened and a smile spread across his face. "Excellent! Please, follow me this way sir." He said, offering to take the bags off Naruto's shoulders to which Naruto handed them to him. "I was really nervous that I had already missed you, or that I would be waiting for a long time. You see, my boss wasn't sure what time you would be arriving." The man said energetically as he led them out of the airport and into the dull Michigan weather. A cold wind whipped furiously around them, causing Sakura to shiver and wrap her arms around herself.

"And your boss didn't happen to let you know who the employer was, did he?" Naruto asked, although he had an inkling as to who it could have been.

"No sir." Said the man as he led them to a black shiny Mercedes and opened the trunk, placing Naruto and Sakura's bags inside as he gestured for them to get in.

Quickly running to the door, Sakura pulled it open and hopped in, Naruto following soon after. "For someone so reluctant, you sure were fast to get in his car." Joked Naruto.

Sakura, still rubbing her arms only shot him a death look. "Listen," She said, her voice low. "I still don't trust this situation. But I'm cold and didn't pack for this impromptu trip back into Michigan's cold climate." She snapped.

Naruto only smiled. "You sure are easy to get over to the dark side." He murmured as the man, who he now assumed was the driver, opened the door and started the ignition. "All they need to do is offer you a jacket in the cold and you'll come running over."

Sakura only growled in response and heatedly turned away from Naruto before asking the driver to turn up the heat as he pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States  
10:18 UTC_

"Excuse me, but do you think you can tell us where we are headed?" Naruto asked, leaning forward in his seat so that he could communicate with the driver.

Momentarily pausing so that he could look at Naruto, the driver furrowed his eyebrows before turning his eyes back on the road. "Uh, well I was informed to drop you off at Target, and from there you would getting another form of transportation."

Naruto frowned and sat back. Target?

Next to him, Sakura groaned and tossed her head back against the leather seat. "Oh God…" She muttered, "Just what I wanted – to get picked off in a _Target…_" She brought her hands up to bury her face in them.

"Stop that." Naruto murmured, pulling Sakura's hands away from her face. "No one is getting _picked off. _Especially not in a Target." He said gently. "And what is this Target anyway?"

Sakura couldn't help herself – she simply burst out laughing, ignoring the confused and almost hurt expression that crossed Naruto's face. She clutched at her sides as small tears streamed from her eyes and _man, _it just felt really good to _laugh. _

"What the hell is so funny?" Naruto asked, irked by her reaction to his rather simple question.

"I'm sorry," Sakura stuttered, wiping the tears from her eyes as she attempted to stop laughing. "It really shouldn't be so funny…I keep forgetting that you're not actually _American…_" And with that, Sakura burst into a fresh round of laughter. "What's a Target!" She managed to say through fits of giggles, as it was the most ridiculous question she had ever heard of.

"Well it is a legit question, if you ever feel like answering it." Naruto muttered, irritated.

Finally calming down, although short bursts of laughter still escaped, Sakura managed to answer his question. "It's a store." She finally said, smiling. "They sell lots of things there…like clothes and food…music, books, anything really."

Naruto's eyes scrunched up – the look he got on his face when he was thinking hard about something. "But why call it _Target_?" He finally asked.

Sakura's mouth tightened up, as if she were trying her best not to smile and laugh again. She held up a finger, gesturing for him to wait. It took another few seconds before she could finally open her mouth. "I don't know, guess you would really have to ask the CEO that question!"

Naruto frowned at her answer, but refrained from asking any further questions in case Sakura started laughing at him again. Before long, their car had pulled up into a parking lot and up to a massive building with a red bulls-eye emblazoned on the façade. Naruto stared in wonder at it, watching as women with shopping carts bustled in and out of the automatic doors despite the early hour. Their Mercedes pulled up to the front entrance of the building.

"Well, this is where I leave you." Said their driver turning to face them after putting the car into park. "It was a pleasure meeting you sir, ma'am." He said, giving them each a smile.

"You too." Said Naruto as Sakura opened the door and stepped out. They both watched as the black Mercedes pulled away after the driver unloaded their bags. Sakura hugged her arms closer to her chest, feeling as the sharp wind practically cut through her blue button up shirt as if it wasn't even there.

"Ok, let's go now." Said Sakura, wrapping her arms around Naruto's warm one in an attempt to pull him away. "He's gone, we can leave now."

"Hey wait." Said Naruto, protesting as he tugged backward. "He dropped us off here for a reason, there's probably someone waiting for us inside!"

"Naruto." Said Sakura exasperated as she brushed her bangs out of her face. "The person in there, _if _there even is one…is probably waiting to kill us!"

"He said we would be getting another mode of transportation. You need to stop thinking so negatively." Said Naruto sternly, poking his finger into Sakura's forehead.

Angrily swatting him away, Sakura huffed. "Another mode of transportation? Yeah, it's probably a creeper van waiting to kidnap us, take us to some warehouse and kill us _there._"

Narito chuckled and shook his head. "That's some imagination. I'm gonna go in." He said, gesturing too the automatic doors. "Feel free to stay out here if you'd like. If I get kidnapped, I'm counting on you to come rescue me." And with that, he gave her a parting smile before turning and entering the doors.

Sakura groaned, tapping her foot anxiously as she looked at the doors. Another aggravated sigh later and she stormed in after him.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
12:02 UTC_

Hinata felt nervous; inexplicably nervous but she really had no idea why. Resting a well manicured hand on her desk, she felt an anxious jitter run up her spine as she shivered. The last couple of days had been…odd. Well, if Hinata wanted to admit it to herself, things had creased to be normal and had started being odd _months _before Asuma had committed suicide and turned Sasuke's world upside down. Well the last few days, they had been stranger than usual. Hinata could swear that she found herself spacing out more and more throughout the day.

Hinata – while she didn't exactly praise herself as being perhaps the brightest, or the most ambitious in the family, especially when compared to her younger sister Hanabi – she still liked to think herself diligent and observant of her surroundings. So it really did unnerve her that she had to keep reminding herself throughout the day where she was and what she was doing.

It could have been the additional load of stress she was experiencing, she reasoned to herself. She hardly saw her husband as of late, and even though they worked in the same office during the day, she refrained from visiting him, knowing he might only view her presence as a distraction. That combined with the fact that she just felt tired _all the time, _even after she had a full nights rest. It really must have been the stress, she reasoned with herself, combing through a few dark locks of hair that were situated over her shoulder.

Her case as well, while not as urgent or nearly as pressing or dangerous as the other cases her colleagues were working on, had started becoming more demanding. She had even thrown up during lunch the other day – which she felt positively terrible over since it was Hanabi who bought her lunch, after taking time out of her busy schedule to do so.

Sighing, Hinata tapped her finger against her desk. She knew that if she told Sasuke about how she had been feeling lately, her husband would instantly demand she see a doctor or a psychologist of some sort. After Asuma's death and especially after her slight scare the morning after on the staircase, when Sasuke did manage to see her, he had begun to treat her like a vase that he expected to break at nay minute. Hinata supposed it _was _sort of cute.

And with that note, Hinata grabbed her cell phone.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States  
10:30 UTC_

"There's ramen, Sakura. _They have ramen!" _Naruto screeched, his decibel level almost hurting Sakura's ears.

"Of course they do, you idiot." Said Sakura, as she attempted to drag Naruto away from the packaged noodle soup as they stood in one of the food aisles. "Now let's go, I don't see this person who you say is supposedly supposed to meet us."

"There's different flavors!" Naruto cried, breaking out of Sakura's grasp as he ran back toward the soup. "Pork flavor, beef flavor, chicken flavor…_there's too many!" _He cried out enthusiastically, earning a strange glare from another shopper passing by. Sakura gave her an apologetic smile as she passed.

"You're scaring the customers!" Sakura hissed.

"They should be happy I'm so enthusiastic about their product." Naruto said, his eyes lighting up as he found another flavor – shrimp. "Can we buy some, Sakura? We have to."

"What?" Sakura cried. "No, that's weird."

"What? Why?" Naruto asked, alarmed.

"Because that's just weird." Sakura grumbled, pulling Naruto from the floor where he had surrounded himself with different packages of ramen. "Now let's go."

"Sakuraaaaa…!" Naruto cried as he allowed himself to be dragged away from the packaged form of his favorite food. "I've never seen ramen in so many different flavors. I have to try them _all!" _He wailed.

"No!" Growled Sakura, her eyes flashing menacingly before she spun around.

Turning around to storm away, Sakura suddenly found herself face to face with a dark haired young man who was staring intently into her face. Gasping, Sakura took a surprised step back. "Can I…help you?" Sakura asked questioningly, one pink eyebrow raised in both confusion and disbelief.

The man before her and Naruto was certainly an oddity and Sakura was sure whether she should laugh or cry at the man's obvious fashion blunder. The man was Asian, his tall and lanky build comparing considerably to Naruto's. He had pale skin and dark eyes, the thickest eyebrows that Sakura had ever seen on a man not named Grover and his face framed with what could only be described as coming straight from The Beatles circa 1964. And to make matters worse, he was wearing a bright, eye-popping green T-shirt with an even brighter green jacket and a pair of spandex biking shorts.

"Are you Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno?" The man asked eagerly.

Sakura froze and turned to Naruto, trying to discreetly shake her head no. Despite the fact that the man looked more goofy than he did dangerous, Sakura decided it was best to stop judging a book by its cover in these situations.

"Yes." Said Naruto, totally ignoring Sakura's obvious anxiety attack.

"Excellent!" Said the man, his eyes lighting up as he clasped his hands together. Oddly enough, he had a candy bag in one of his hands. Sakura's heart beat started to race. The last thing she wanted to do was be clubbed to death with a bag of candy by a man looking like some Asian Beatles knockoff.

Naruto – totally clueless to both Sakura's fears as well as any sense of danger he might have been in – stepped in front of Sakura and closer to the man. "How do you know we can trust him?" Sakura whispered urgently into Naruto's ear.

"My apologies!" Said the Asian man quickly, bowing his head as he heard Sakura's words. "I should have told you this straight from the beginning, after I confirmed your identities! I was sent here by Neji Hyuuga to tell you some important information! He apologizes that he couldn't meet with you himself, but he got your message on really short notice."

"Neji…Hyuuga?" Said Sakura in disbelief as the color slowly began to return to her face, ignoring the knowing grin that was adorning Naruto's face as he looked at her. She had to admit, she believed it to be a long shot when they had ran into a small Moroccan internet café and Naruto proposed his idea of sending Neji a secret message via greeting card. She had also believed it to be a long shot when Naruto plan on asking someone to borrow their email address so he could send said greeting card, but some how, his charming and winning personality and won though for them on that account.

"Told you it would work!" Said Naruto excitedly, as he elbowed Sakura in the side.

"You ah…can call me Lee." Said the man, sticking his hand out to Naruto, his tone suddenly serious. "I'm an old friend of Neji's. We used to know each other as…" Lee suddenly stopped, as if he had caught himself saying something that he wasn't supposed to. "Sorry…I really shouldn't be telling you that." Lee replied apologetically. "SOG rules, you'll have to excuse me."

Sakura looked toward Naruto, confused by 'Lee's' statement, however his face did not betray that he understood anything that Lee said. Sakura cleared her throat uncomfortably, not ignorant to the strange turn her life had taken once again – she was standing in a Target of all places, holding a clandestine meeting with a man whose name may or may not have been Lee. "You said Neji had important information for us?" Sakura asked instead.

Lee nodded vigorously, before looking around the aisle – which was empty except for them – and gestured for them to follow him.

"He did." He said as they moved into the next aisle. Vitamin waters were on sale for a dollar. "I think he understood the message you sent him. He wanted to meet with you right away."

"And you decided to conduct this little rendezvous at a _Target?_" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

The dark haired man blushed, a soft pink staining his pale cheeks. "Well, I thought a franchise based store would be the least probable place to look for a clandestine meeting." Lee muttered, fingers nervously twitching. "And I really have to get something for my girlfriend to make up for suddenly bailing on her to come here." He explained sheepishly.

"And a bag of Hershey's is really going to solve that problem?" Sakura asked skeptically, eyeing the silver package clamped in Lee's hand.

Lee blanched, instantly reconsidering his choice as Naruto shot her a bemused look.

"Sorry." Sakura mouthed back sheepishly.

"Why don't we focus on the information Neji wanted you to give us." Said Naruto, gently taking the Hershey's bag from Lee and putting it down on one of the shelves.

Lee sighed hopelessly before sighing.

"The name Marcus O'Connor ended up checking out." Said Lee pulling a folded sheet of paper from his pocket as they perused down an aisle filled with canned foods. He handed the paper over to Naruto who quickly unfolded it and scanned through.

"History in British Military…" Naruto murmured, "Don't tell me this guy was MI6."

"The CIA isn't privy to that information." Lee explained, hand passing over the wares on the shelves, "However, he has been…'underground' for a while. Not that CIA was keeping tabs on the man, but usually the recent activity list is much larger than that."

Sakura glanced down at the sheet that Naruto was holding. At the bottom, below Marcus' personal information was a list of recent activity. There was only five items on the list at most, the most recent being Marcus joining the British Military.

"The most recent activity in years is that he used a passport under the name Marcus Albright to fly to Tangier. It appears to be an alias he has used a few other times. Neji was checking into it."

"This guy…he isn't what he seems." Said Naruto tapping the list before folding it up and stuffing it in his pocket. "Looks like were gonna have to dig deeper."

"Your…conspiracy," Said Lee uncertainly as they made their way into the candy aisle, "It seems to have its roots in everything, not just the Italian government."

"What do you mean?" Pressed Sakura, steering Lee away from the cheap candy bars.

Lee opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted as a woman in a cart strode up, tossing a few bags of candy in after studying them. He quickly steered them out of the aisle and into another. "It's…bigger." Explained Lee. "Interpol, the CIA…maybe even MI6 if your theory about this O'Connor man is correct. All involved."

Sakura involuntary clutched at Naruto's arm, her fingers digging into the warm fleece of his jacket. "That…can't be." Said Naruto uncertainly.

"Neji wanted to meet with you himself." Lee said, eyes glazing over some DVD's. "But time would not permit. I would, however, suggest you meet with him. You can get in contact with him through me. Do you have a cell phone number?"

Naruto quickly rattled off the number to Sakura's new Tracphone, amazing Sakura has to how he could have remembered it that fast.

"Thank you." Said Lee, bowing his head. "Now if only if I could resolve my apology gift as quickly." Said Lee forlornly.

Sakura gave an exasperated sigh and walked over to the rack of DVD's Lee had been eyeing. "Sleepless in Seattle," she said, quickly shoving a clear packaged DVD with a picture of Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan on the cover into Lee's chest, "A bouquet of lily's, some expensive liquor, to die for dessert and take out. That should cover it." Sakura replied nonchalantly. "And make sure you apologize to her at _least _a dozen times."

Lee's eyes turned wide as he grasped the DVD tightly in his hands. "Oh thank you Ms. Haruno," He gushed, as if Sakura had given him the key to the universe, "I will gladly follow your advice. I shall be forever in your debt!" He quickly grabbed her hand, giving it an exuberant shake which managed to jolt Sakura's entire body.

"Ah, that's…kind of you Lee…" Replied Sakura, almost uneasy with the man's overwhelming show of affection.

"Hold tightly on to this one, Mr. Uzumaki." Said Lee, his eyes wide with seriousness as he put his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "She is a very smart and beautiful woman."

Pulling his hand off Naruto, Lee glanced hastily at the watch on his wrist. "Your rental car will be here in five minutes. Thank you once again!" And with that, Lee dashed off his newly acquired knowledge as if it would somehow slip away from him.

"Well…" Said Sakura. "He certainly is an…energetic man…" She said, wondering if the word 'energetic' was enough to encompass the strange man she had just met.

She glanced up at Naruto, whose eyes were shining wide, almost as she had just given _him _the secrets of the universe. "What?" Said Sakura warily, stepping back from the blond man.

"It's like…you've just given me a look into the depths of your _soul." _Naruto said amazed. "A fool proof apology method that is guaranteed to always work. It's like the best gift I've ever gotten!" Said Naruto excitedly, a mischievous look on his face as if he couldn't believe his good luck.

Sakura pursed her lips and gave him an exasperated look. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I never said it would work on _me." _She said, turning to walk back down the aisle before quickly grabbing a fleece zip-up off one of the racks.

"Don't you want to get something heavier?" Naruto asked, questioning her choice.

"This will due." Said Sakura in a dismissive attitude. "I gave Ino my $200 pea coat for safe keeping and I am sure as _hell _getting that back."

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
10:52 UTC_

So maybe he was gloating – but only a little, as he put his cell phone down. His plan had _worked, _even when he knew it would only work by a long shot. Really, he had supposed that it wasn't all that difficult; tracking down all the flights that had felt from Morocco last night – and really, there shouldn't have been that many – calculating how long each flight would take to arrive at JFK and then subsequently in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Although, it had worried Neji a little that if he could track Naruto and Sakura's movements that easily, what was to say that others could not? So it had eased his worry a little bit to find that there were no Naruto Uzumaki's or Sakura Haruno's that checked into any flights out of Morocco in the past day. Oddly enough, however, there had been one Naruto Uzumaki that checked into a flight from Tangier to Casablanca two days ago – but Neji suspected it was false. Plus, he had also reasoned with himself he would have never gotten so far if it hadn't been for Naruto's tip off in the form of an electronic greeting card.

Turning back to the task at hand, Neji frowned. Marcus O'Connor, it seemed, had _multiple _aliases; his most common one used under the name Marcus Albright. The facial recognition software that Neji had used on a hunch had tracked down Marcus' face in multiple places across the globe – all within the last ten years and to multiple passport check in's in at least every major airport in the world.

Neji was disconcerted to say the least.

Flexing his fingers, Neji set them to the keyboard to check out the rest of Marcus' alias that he had written down on a piece of paper in front of him. With luck, they wouldn't bring down any red flags because the last thing he needed was to be called into Anko's office _again _to be questioned on why he was once again trying to access restricted information.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States  
11:22 UTC_

"It can't be that bad." Naruto reasoned as he stood with his hands shoved into the pockets of his black North Face. "Just ring the door bell."

"You don't know that." Said Sakura, anxiously shifting her weight from foot to foot. "You _really _don't know that."

Naruto gave out an aggravated sigh, his breath spiraling out into the cold air. "I've never seen someone as anxious about this kind of situation as you are. Just _ring _the goddamn doorbell."

Sakura scowled at Naruto before biting her lip. "You remember what we went over in the car?"

Blue eyes gazed into green. "Just ring the doorbell, Sakura."

"Fine." Sakura growled, pushing her right index finger into the glowing doorbell.

They could hear the doorbell echoing from inside, before pounding footsteps and then the clicking of latches being undone. The door swung open with a creak.

Sakura plastered a cheesy smile on her face. "Mom! …Surprise!"

* * *

**Note 3: **MI6 is British Secret Intelligence and SOG is an element within the Special Activities Division in the CIA that deals with collection of foreign intelligence**  
**

**Random Fact: **Neji Hyuuga can speak English, Italian, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Russian


	11. Chapter 11

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **I've had writers black for like the entire summer. I'm sorry -_-**  
**

**Note2:** You know what would be totally awesome? To hit one hundred reviews before the next chapter. But whatever, just saying...first three reviewers get a sneak peak into the next chapter** :p. **Thanks to Joele and anotheredguy! Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek! Sorry soccernin19, I couldn't send you your sneak peek since I wasn't able to message you.

* * *

011:Where We Started From  
_(You know its only just begun)_

* * *

It was like a scene out of a movie; you know, those awkward one's where everyone just stares at each other, not saying anything, not even moving. It was like Meet the Parents, where suddenly Robert DeNiro's coming out, expecting to see Owen Wilson but instead he gets Ben Stiller. Sakura wasn't quite sure exactly why Owen Wilson was better, because she sure as hell would pick Ben Stiller over him any day – but hey, who gave a fuck? She wasn't the director anyway.

But here she was, seemingly coordinating her own version of the movie. Her, with her still growing out uneven pink hair pulled into the sloppiest ponytail anyone on the face of the earth would ever see, standing on her parents doorstep with a green fleece zip up brought from Target only minutes ago, tag still hanging off of it. And there was her mom, standing there, red hair pulled into the neatest braid Sakura had ever seen, wearing a godforsaken apron of all things; there was Naruto, with his megawatt grin, as if nothing – and certainly not this situation could bring him down. And then her dad was there, looking very much like Robert DeNiro and perhaps even wondering why in the hell had she brought Ben Stiller when he was expecting Owen Wilson. Or maybe even Sasuke Uchiha.

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_11:15 UTC_

"Mom! …Surprise!" The word had died a little at the end, her fake smile fading into oblivion as her mom blinked at the sight of her daughter and her (boy)friend who had unexpectedly appeared on her doorstep after Sakura had most certainly proclaimed they were not coming.

"Sakura!" Her mom finally exclaimed, eyes lighting up as she took a step out of the door and embraced her daughter in a tight, air squeezing hug. "I thought you said you couldn't make it!" She said, stepping back to take in Sakura's appearance.

"Change of plans." Said Sakura, shrugging in her attempt to sound lighthearted. "We thought we would surprise you."

Naruto remained silent as Sakura greeted her mother, content to stand off to the side, backpack slung over his shoulder. It was almost rather amusing to see the way her mouth would sometimes pull down – as if wanting to morph into a grimace – as she takes in her mother's appearance. Naruto himself thought the apron was kind of nice – it was the type of things that he pictured mothers wearing. Although Sakura probably wouldn't want to hear it, Naruto realized that she actually looked a lot like her mom.

Mrs. Haruno was beautiful, in that maternally motherly type of way. Her skin was pale; a few shades lighter than Sakura's own, with a pale dusting of freckles that Naruto could see ran across the bridge of her nose and across her forearms. Her hair was a bright, wonderful shade of red with a slight frizzle to it – expertly tamed by the long braid that she had woven it into. Naruto immediately determined that he liked her hair; perhaps it had something to do with the color red…

"It certainly is a surprise."

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as he turned toward the masculine voice that came from the door. Contrary to what he said, Mr. Haruno's face certainly didn't look surprised as he took in the appearance of his daughter and her boyfriend. Whereas Mrs. Haruno and Sakura both shared the same soft features and pale skin, Mr. Haruno was the complete opposite. His skin was slightly tanned, despite the winter weather and his face hard and angular. His dark hair was short and combed back from his forehead. The only resemblance Naruto could find between Mr. Haruno and his daughter were his green eyes, partially obscured behind a pair of thin framed glasses.

"Mom, Dad, this is Naruto." Said Sakura suddenly, stepping back as her hand gripped Naruto's sleeve to pull him forward. Surprised, he took a few jerky steps forward before pushing a charming smile back on his face.

"Hi," Said Naruto, sticking his hand out to Mrs. Haruno, "Naruto Uzumaki."

Almost surprised at the gesture, Mrs. Haruno moved her hand to shake Naruto's. Taking it, Naruto instead brought it up to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on the top of her hand. Her hands felt small and frail like Sakura's.

"Oh." Said Mrs. Haruno, bringing her hand back as her face flushed red.

"Mr. Haruno."

"Sir will be just fine." Said Mr. Haruno, his green eyes appraising Naruto before he firmly shook his hand.

"Dad…" Sakura groaned, rather appalled by her father's almost rude behavior as Naruto chuckled nervously, unnerved by the way Mr. Haruno's eyes – Sakura's eyes had stared him down.

"Let's all go inside, hm?" Offered Mrs. Haruno, her unease apparent in her voice as she gestured for them to come in. "It's cold out here."

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_9:23 UTC_

Kakashi Hatake was an intimidating man.

That was, was of course, arguable; but if asked, the vast majority would agree with the fact. And considering how extensively Kakashi's reputation had grown over the years, it was fair to say that a sizable portion of the Italian population and beyond had at least some inkling of who this intimidating man was.

Granted, if one asked the silver haired man himself, he would whole heatedly disagree with such a fact. But, it stood to fact that the opinion of the man himself didn't count for anything as even of some of Kakashi's friends would agree that he was an intimidating man.

Sasuke Uchiha thought it was all a load of crap.

Striding forth, Sasuke never gave into the belief that he could be intimidated by his superior. Sure, he acquiesced that Kakashi could be intimidating, but that was only by those who had something to fear. Maybe, if Sasuke wanted to really be truthful with himself, he had felt an inkling of fear when he first met the imposing man, but it had been brief - no more than a few seconds before Sasuke could see beyond the man's exterior and find that he was really nothing to be afraid of.

Kakashi was currently standing behind Shino - Interpol's resident computer geek - a cigarette perched casually between his middle and forefingers. Smoke billowed from the blackened stub. Sasuke's eyes rested on the long pale scar that ran between the two fingers down the back of his hand - courtesy of a Iraqi insurgent during his time in the Italian Armed Forced - before he posed the question that he had been waiting to ask from the moment he discovered it just might be prudent to.

_"Operation Glaido, what do you know?"_

Shino's fingers immediately stopped typing once the question was spoken, inviting a thick silence into the air. If anyone was the picture of calm, cool and collected, it was Shino; but even the sunglasses clad man turned his head to face Sasuke, wondering at the audacity of the question.

Sasuke Uchiha was not intimidated by Kakashi Hatake.

At least not until the moment that Kakashi turned his head to stare at him. In that brief moment, it had Sasuke reconsidered that maybe he should have rephrased his opening statement before reminding himself of that cliched, yet always totally relevant counterargument that he was a goddamn Uchiha who felt no fear; that if anything was to be salvaged, to at least salvage his goddamn pride yadda yadda yadda.

In all honesty, Kakashi wasn't even really staring at Sasuke per se. His head was turned slightly in Sasuke's direction, acknowledging his presence and question, but the gaze of his left eye was obscured by the premature grey hair that Kakashi always styled to cover it. The only indication of his unease with the question was the way his thin lips had pulled into a slight frown.

Sasuke meant to clear his throat - an indication that he expected Kakashi to answer his question, not just stare him down, but it ended up coming out more as a stutter, as if he missed a breath when breathing. It seemed to have the desired effect, however, as the cold aura possessing Kakashi died down and the older man indicated with his head that Shino should continue doing whatever it was he was doing before Sasuke arrived.

After a brief moment, Kakashi cocked his head slightly to the right by means of a shrug, shoulders rolling with the process. _"It was a dark time."_ He said simply. _"For us all."_

Kakashi took a moment to point out and say something to Shino, who glanced at Sasuke surreptitiously before continuing with his business. Sasuke frowned as he watched Shino and Kakashi, obviously not pleased by Kakashi's less than revealing statement. _"What do you remember?"_ He asked, realizing that he would have to be specific with Kakashi if he expected conclusive answers.

Silence permeated the air again, the only disruption being the continuing sound of Shino's typing when even that stopped. _"Should I leave?"_ Shino asked, his deep voice a touch more concerned than what Sasuke knew him to be.

_"No."_ Said Kakashi, stubbing out the cigarette onto the cool metal surface of Shino's desk before depositing it in the empty trash bin.

_"I don't remember much."_ Kakashi said suddenly. _"I was only seven or so, during the Bologna Massacre. I remember my teacher stopping class because of it. My father spoke of the Piazza Fontana occasionally."_

There were three things that Sasuke knew for certain about Kakashi. One was that the man happened to be an impeccable dresser. Never once had Sasuke seen him in anything but a suit. The second was that the man was a devout atheist. You couldn't get him with a five mile radius of any religious building or event without a hell of a good reason. Ironic considering they were all within jogging distance from the Vatican. The third was that Kakashi Hatake did not just bring his father up in casual conversation. It sure as hell had to be extremely relevant to the topic because Kakashi hated his father's fucking guts.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_18:45 UTC_

Dinner was an awkward affair.

When Naruto had pictured the event in his mind, he had pictured the kind that you saw on American TV. Where the Mom and Dad grinned and asked you how your day was and kindly served you things like peas and carrots. Unfortunately for Naruto, that scenario was probably the farthest thing from his reality at that moment.

That wasn't to say that the food itself wasn't good - it was actually quite the opposite. Never before would Naruto have thought that beef stew and salad topped with almonds, cranberries and mandarin oranges would make for such a delectable combination. But even the food wasn't enough to distract from the cold, calculating stare that Mr. Haruno was fixing him with, or the way that Mrs. Haruno kept anxiously staring at her husband, opening her mouth to start a conversation and then never doing so. Even Sakura had her hand clamped like a death trap over Naruto's knee underneath the table.

It also didn't help that Naruto had been deceived - by his own girlfriend no less - from the moment he walked into the Haruno family home. It had been a small, inconspicuous picture, inside a rather unattractive picture frame that had led Naruto to catch onto the deception. Sakura and her parents were standing outside, the wind whipping past their hair. Sakura, who couldn't have been older than eight, was sitting on her father's shoulders, not even looking at the camera. It would have been the perfect family picture...If Naruto had not noticed the uniform Mr. Haruno was wearing. A uniform involving a badge.

Breaking out into a cold sweat, Naruto stood up quickly, his back ram rod straight and politely escorted Sakura away from her mother in the best fashion he could manage.

"Sakura," Said Naruto, his face plastered with some version of a smile, "Your dad is a police officer?"

Sakura's eyes were curious as she answered, in that sort of 'Oh-didn't-I-tell-you?' look. No, Naruto had wanted to scream, you didn't tell me and he wondered vaguely for a minute if perhaps Sakura had left that little detail out on purpose.

"You told me your dad was a chess teacher!" Naruto hissed anxiously.

"He is!" Sakura insisted, "But that's only because he retired from the force a couple of years back."

Naruto wanted to slap his head as Sakura gave him a pat on the back and what he assumed to be a comforting smile before turning back to talk with her mother. Naruto was left standing alone in the hallway until Mr. Haruno emerged from the kitchen, giving him a suspicious glance which only made shivers run down Naruto's spine.

And so it was now that Naruto found himself sitting across from Mr. Haruno, not only jittering with the fact that this was Sakura's father - an intimidating fact in and of itself, but also because he was once what Naruto would describe as his mortal enemy.

"So what is it that you do, Naruto?" Said Mr. Haruno, finally fixing Naruto with a steady gaze as he patted his mouth with a napkin. "Perhaps you are in the medical profession just like my daughter?"

"Dad." Said Sakura, her tone a tad reprimanding. "Naruto is in the security business." She said suavely, putting her word in before Naruto could even utter a word.

Closing his mouth in defeat, Naruto pushed a smile on his face before gulping and nodded. "That's right, sir. I was a security guard at an architectural firm while we were in Morocco."

"Oh, security." Said Mr. Haruno, seeming impressed as he set his fork down. "I dabbled in the security business myself when I was younger." He said, shooting a quick smile toward his wife. "What did you do before that?"

"Uh, sorry, sir?" Said Naruto, pausing with a fork of salad midway to his mouth. His mind completely shut down for a moment.

Mr. Haruno furrowed his eyebrows as his eyes looked questioningly at Naruto. "You said you did security while you were in Morocco. What did you do before that?"

"Oh." Said Naruto, his blue eyes shooting over to Sakura, registering her panicked looked that her father managed to catch onto that so quickly. Underneath the table, her hand was giving his knee a warning squeeze to which he quickly removed her hand and gave her hand a reassuring pat.

"I just did this freelance thing." Said Naruto gesturing loosely with his hand. "You know I would go to this different places and check their security for holes. You know if I was a thief or something, how would I attempt to go about stealing something...It was all very...freelance..." Finished Naruto lamely as he registered the blank looks on both Mr. and Mrs. Haruno's faces.

Sakura had to give a wry smile as she ducked her head to eat a carrot. The way Naruto had pulled a variation of the truth out of his ass just to appease her parents was just so...Naruto. She really did have to give him credit for that one.

"So...places just let you come in do this?" Asked Mr. Haruno breaking the silence, both skepticism and intrigue apparent in his voice. "What kind of places?"

"Oh, museums mostly." Said Naruto. "I've always been a big fan of the arts and whatnot."

"Oh really?" Exclaimed Mrs. Haruno warmly. "I majored in Art History in college."

"Oh?" Said Naruto, his voice an octave higher than it usually was - a clear indication that he was worried Mrs. Haruno was some how on to him. "It's really fascinating isn't it? All that...art stuff..." He said, drifting off uncharacteristically. Sakura had to roll her eyes at that one. Clearly he seemed to be losing the touch he had possessed so emphatically a few minutes ago.

"So, tell me Naruto," Said Mr. Haruno brushing off Naruto's lame response, "You must have some thoughts on this Kyuubi character that has been running rampant throughout the art world, stealing artifacts and undermining security that you yourself might have developed. What do you think?"

Like the moisture in the air indicating rain, Sakura could suddenly smell the disaster that this latest conversation was headed to. Unfortunately, fate would not allow her to act fast enough, for before she could even indicate to Naruto to keep his large mouth clamped shut or better yet state his answer for him, he had grinned one of those patented mega watt smiles and replied,

"I think he's brilliant."

A moment of silence echoed throughout the dining room in which Sakura would have slapped her head had her parents not been there to witness it and Mr. Haruno seemed to steadily reaching a point in which he would boil over with anger. Mrs. Haruno looked both frightened and confused at the same time and settled for placing what she hoped was a comforting hand over her husbands.

Naruto continued to sit there, grinning like an idiot, obviously not seeing the error in his ways. Sakura settled for kicking him in his shin underneath the table. His heel knocked against the chair leg underneath the table and his face scrunched up in pain. "Ow!" Naruto hissed, blue eyes darting over to Sakura. "What was that for?"

Sakura could only narrow her eyes at him, for at that moment, her father's boiling point had been reached. "Brilliant?" He asked, his voice like the deadly calm before the storm.

"Dad...that's not what he meant..." Said Sakura, doing her best to placate her father before the damage of Naruto's statement could truly set in.

Only that's exactly what he meant. Thought Sakura, managing to find the irony of the situation.

"No honey, he said it himself that he was brilliant." Said Mr. Haruno, his statement cutting down Sakura's attempt. His jade eyes turned steely as he looked back to Naruto who suddenly had the decency to cow before them.

"Did you know," Said Mr. Haruno, his voice still utterly calm despite his obvious anger, "That when I was a child, I visited the Ueno Royal Museum in Japan?"

"Oh?" Said Naruto, doing his best to feign interest and not sound frightened. He couldn't fathom how he could face cold blooded killers without breaking a sweat and yet the unnerving gaze Mr. Haruno was sending him had him breaking out into a cold sweat on his back.

"I saw those crown jewels." Continued Mr. Haruno, "They were beautiful - a symbol of the heritage of Japan.

And now they are gone, probably never to be seen again. Probably in the hands of some black market scum!" He finished, his voice louder and carrying the dark undertone of anger.

A moment of silence passed over the table. Naruto didn't respond, yet a curious expression passed over his face and he straightened his back; as if he had suddenly gained some much needed confidence. As Sakura took in the slight motion in his posture, she hoped the next words of out of Naruto's mouth would rectify the situation, not make it worse.

"They had lax security...something so precious...they should have guarded it more carefully." Said Naruto carefully, his voice suddenly eerily calm and collected as he dared to stare Mr. Haruno straight in the eye.

Sakura's eyes widened at her boyfriend's gall and she turned to look at him as if she thought him insane. Her kick to his shin echoed in the silence in the aftermath of Naruto's statement, but this time, Naruto didn't even flinch.

"You! You would dare-" Mr. Haruno sputtered, eyes burning with anger.

"Dad!" Sakura cried.

"Kenji don't..." Mrs. Haruno murmured, once again covering her husbands hand with her own. She shot Sakura a sympathetic look while her glance at Naruto, who was still staring at Mr. Haruno, was unreadable.

It was apparent that Mr. Haruno had more on his mind that he wanted to speak out, but he headed his wife's suggestion and pursed his lips in a thin line, his gaze toward Naruto unwavering.

"So Naruto, how many girlfriends have you had?" Asked Mrs. Haruno suddenly, her voice higher than usual as her gaze darted between both Naruto and Sakura all the while keeping her hand calmingly over her husbands.

"Mom!" Exclaimed Sakura. Her eyes widened as she conveyed that, that was clearly not the question that would diffuse the situation.

Naruto finally broke his gaze away from Mr. Haruno and turned to look at Mrs. Haruno, his expression having morphed into one of his usual ones. "You mean prostitutes?"

* * *

_…_  
_12:00 UTC_

The airport was crowded; an international crosswords where people from hundreds of nations both pushed past each other and intermingled. A multitude of languages floated in the air, a series of flags waved overhead; yet all these things were ignored by one man who irritatingly pushed his way through the crowd as he made his way through to a room that little knew existed.

Swiping a disposable access card, the door clicked open and the man entered a quiet sanctuary. The doors swung shut, effectively leaving the crowded chaos of the airport behind. The man strode forward with confident steps, despite the slight hobble in his left leg. His footsteps echoed eerily across the silent room. Making his way to the second room, the man pulled a second access card from the breast pocket of his designer suit. Sparing a quick look toward the security camera that was trained above the door, he swiped the card and walked in.

Unlike the previous room, this room was carpeted and muffled the man's footsteps. This room was also occupied. Approaching the lone table in the room, the man lifted his arm and took a quick glance at the Rolex adorning his wrist.

"Better make it quick." Said the man, his voice gruff with both age and use. "My plane leaves in an hour. I have things to do."

"It's not like your the only one." One of the table's inhabitants replied smartly. "We all have things to do."

The man shifted his gaze toward the man who spoke, a gaze that used to be able to cut through people in his youth. The man was young by his standards with dark brown hair slicked back, and a clean shave face. He was dressed smartly in a grey power suit, silver watch on his wrist. "Yes." The man replied finally, taking his seat. "That may very well be true. But I'm the only one who runs a _country_ here."

The table's other inhabitant shifted in his seats while the man in the grey power suit gave a subtle roll of his eyes, as if he had heard this power play by others countless times.

Straightening his suit, then man then folded his aging hands in front of him. "The cameras?" The man then asked the power suit man, his head gesturing back toward the door he had just come through. His tone was reluctant, begrudging, as if he didn't like asking the man.

"We were never here." The man responded sharply.

"Then to business." Said the man, glancing around the table.

The man in the power suit spoke first. "As you might have heard, Orochimaru is dead, having died in his CIA holding cell. Pneumonia, ironically."

"One loose end tied up then." Said another man. The man was dark haired and had an even olive complexion. He looked almost eagerly toward the man who had his hands folded on the table.

The man, however, didn't look nearly as pleased. "The loose end that I would like to speak about is known as Naruto Uzumaki. Why isn't he dead yet?" He asked blatantly.

The dark haired man shied away and looked expectantly toward the man in the power suit. The man pursed his lips before replying. "Naruto Uzumaki isn't the biggest concern that we have. He kept his mouth shut thus far, we can spare him some time." The man responded.

"He knows too much." The man said, inserting authority into his voice. "And part of it is your fault." He said, jabbing a finger toward the man in the power suit.

"I admit that was unforeseen." Said the man in the power suit. He gave a slight shrug as a smile crept over his lips. "But I assure you, a few names won't help him piece the puzzle together."

"If he finds out about his father..."

"You are the only one that can be implicated in that mess."

"Don't think that I won't bring every single one of you down with me!" The man suddenly threatened, his face red with rage.

The man in the power suit gave an impassive look, almost as if he were daring the older man to do so. The dark haired man, however, had no such qualms as he reached out toward the older man. _"Signore, please."_ He murmured softly, coaxing the older man to calm down.

"You are new to this game." The man said after a moment of silent and deep breathing. "You forget that your world can just as easily crumble as mine could. The implications, for you, your agency, your _country_, they are just as substantial."

The power suit man smiled suavely then, the corners of his mouth turning up into what one would call an attractive smile, his grey eyes glinting in the light. His expression said that he might have more to say on the subject but was, perhaps wisely, choosing to keep his mouth shut. "Fine, let's talk about Naruto Uzumaki then."

"He's gone...off the grid." Said the dark haired man, a visible sheen of sweat now visible on his wide forehead. "It is regrettable. I feel obligated to point out that the last time he went off the grid, well, the predicament he caused when he resurfaced is what landed us here."

"No, Uzumaki's actions, while they did trigger the chain reaction, was only a cataylst to something long coming. Us ending up here was inevitable." Said the power suit man sighing.

"I beg your pardon?" The dark haired man said, clearly sounding affronted.

"Orochimaru was loosing his touch." Said the power suit man. "He was a lunatic that should have been dealt with years ago. He was using _children_ as assassins for Christ's sake. While they might have gone unnoticed, they were certainly inefficient. Am I the only one with morals at this table?"

His question was assumed rhetorical at the table for both of the other men knew that clearly, this man's morals were just as questionable as theirs.

"Regardless of Orochimaru," Said the older man sighing, "I want Uzumaki dead. I want someone to find him whether he is on the grid or off it." He said growling.

The dark haired man looked ready to protest, but the power suit man quickly cut him off. "Perhaps if Uzumaki was alone, finding him would prove troublesome. But we know for a fact that he is indeed not alone, which will make things considerably easier for us."

The man was greeted by blank stares before the dark haired man finally deemed it appropriate for him to speak. "Do you mean the girl? Sakura Haruno?"

The power suit man gave a satisfactory nod of his head. "Where it might have been once easy for Uzumaki to leave no trace, we can't say the same for Haruno. She'll leave a blip out there. We only need to be ready to find it."

"He's right." The dark haired man allowed, slowly looking down at the dark wood table. "She has parents, family members, friends. One of them is bound to hear something from her."

The man nodded his head, sounding pleased with the latest conversation. "Good. Then send someone new to take care of Uzumaki. I want you scouring for him 24/7. Do what you see fit with the girl."

"And this time," Said the man in the power suit. "Send someone more adequate than the last one."

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_19:26 UTC_

"What is wrong with you?"

The whisper that came out of Sakura's mouth was of the unfriendly variety as it reverberated down the hallway as Naruto stepped out of the bathroom. Her green eyes were blazing ferociously and Naruto instantly blanched at the sight of them.

"I said I was sorry!" Naruto exclaimed, hands raising defensively. "I mean, I didn't catch on at first, but I thought I covered it up nicely!" He pleaded, hands reaching out for Sakura before she swatted them away.

Sakura rolled her eyes - a move that had almost become second nature ever since she started dating Naruto as she folded her arms over her chest. "I'm not talking about the prostitute slip up! Although you really could not have mentioned something like that at a worse time." At this, Naruto winced slightly, knowing he had probably pushed himself farther down the ladder when it came to befriending Sakura's parents. His own naivety and cluelessness made him want to smack his own head.

"I'm talking about picking a fight with my dad." Sakura finished.

"I wasn't picking a fight with him!" Naruto reached forward swiftly, planting a chaste kiss on the tip of Sakura's upturned nose before he was deftly pushed away by a skeptical looking Sakura, as if she were asking him if a simple kiss on the nose was really going to solve anything.

"Really?"

"Ok," Naruto relented, stepping back sheepishly, "So maybe my ego was a little inflated and felt the need to defend myself. But I wasn't trying to pick a fight with your dad." Naruto said earnestly, his blue eyes lifting to meet Sakura's. Sakura saw regret and disappointment mirrored in them and she sighed, looking away.

"I blew it didn't I?" Naruto asked quietly.

"I dunno." Sakura sighed, "My dad's a resilient guy."

"Can I chalk the whole thing up to nervousness?" Naruto asked, grasping Sakura's shoulders, hope echoing in his voice. "You know cops make me nervous."

"Half of your friends are cops!" Sakura claimed incredulously.

"What?" Exclaimed Naruto, his eyes widening with surprise. "That's not true!"

"Neji?"

"Neji is CIA." Said Naruto, as of it were the most practical thing in the world. "That's vastly different from law enforcement."

"Sasuke then?" Asked Sakura, the expression on her face saying that she knew she would find fault with his argument soon enough.

"Sasuke is hardly a friend Sakura." Naruto deadpanned.

Sakura rolled her eyes again, but this time, a smile had begun to worm its way onto her face. "Ok fine. Hinata?"

"Hinata," Began Naruto, "Hinata is...ok you got me there." He said, sighing in defeat.

Sakura grinned. "I knew I would eventually." She said, as she reached over and placed her hands on his shoulders before planting a kiss on his lips.

They were soon interrupted, however, by a gruff clearing of someone's throat. Breaking away from Naruto and turned to find her parents standing behind her. Mr. Haruno's expression was blank, as if he were staring down a criminal in interrogation. Even Mrs. Haruno's expression looked unforgiving.  
"Naruto," Said Mr. Haruno finally, "Why don't you get your stuff and I'll show you to your room?"

"Dad," Said Sakura sighing as she tilted her head. "I know that you and Naruto didn't exactly get off on the right foot today, but that's no reason not to allow him to sleep in my room with me. We've already been living together for - "

Before Sakura could finish her sentence, Naruto had clamped his hand over her mouth, muffling her speech as he stepped out from behind her. "No really, Sakura, it's alright." He said in a tone that was meant to sound like he wasn't going to argue with her. "You father's house, so his rules."

He gave her a look and nodded his head eagerly, like that was supposed to placate Sakura somehow before he moved off with Mr. Haruno.

* * *

**Random Fact: **Sakura Haruno attended University of Michigan to complete her Undergrad before attending John Hopkins School of Medicine for Graduate school


	12. Chapter 12

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Ugh. I hate school and I hate writers block. Thanks guys for being so patient with me. As usual, three reviews.**  
**

* * *

012: You Need to Confess  
_(Feelings unknown and you're all alone)_

* * *

Soft fingers drifting though his hair.

There was murmuring. His head felt too foggy and soft to understand the words.

Rocking, back and forth. It was comforting. He felt warm.

There was a loud bang and he twitched. The rocking stopped. Slowly, he felt like he was waking, emerging from a dense fog.

The last of the fog finally left him, but he felt as if he didn't want to leave. He clung desperately, but then the floodgates opened and the foggy world was lost to him.

It was bright, far too bright and his eyes squinted uncomfortably against it. Everything was hazy and all he could see was red. He was confused, disorientated. He didn't understand.

Then he heard it. This horrible high keening and his vision blurred even more. The red vanished from what little he could see, but the horrible deafening sound continued. He grew restless and he felt himself kick out when his center of gravity shifted without warning. The sound pounded on.

"Minato, goddammit! I just got him to sleep!"

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_5:39 UTC_

His hand, rough around the fingertips and palm, trailed lightly across the expanse of her calf, enjoying the way her silken skin felt against his. Her toes curled instinctively against his touch, rustling against his T-shirt. She moved then, her body warm as her shoulder pressed flush to his. "This is wrong you know." His whisper could barely be heard in the air, but somehow, he knew that she heard him. His eyes drifted over toward her and they were met with her coy stare.

Sakura looked over toward Naruto, the corners of her mouth upturned in a slight smile. His eyes glittered back at her in the early morning light that seemed to slip underneath the drawn curtain in his room, bathing it in a natural bluish light. She shifted her head slightly against the pillow that was propped up against the wall. "We haven't done anything..." She said, reveling in the feeling of his hand traveling farther up her leg, sliding under the hem of her cotton shorts toward her hip. She shivered. "Yet."

His hand stopped and she felt the comfortable warmth that was generated from his palm. He gave an inaudible sigh, his eyelids fluttering closed for a brief second before opening again. "I respect your father, Sakura. His house his rules." He lifted his eyes up to meet her green stare, which was, as he expected, unhappy.

A smile couldn't help but snake its way onto his face, but it suddenly disappeared under the gloom of his remembered dream. He turned his head abruptly away from her, but she didn't seem to notice his change in mood. The LED clock sitting on the bedside table blinked 5:40.

"We can't stay here forever, you know."

His words were unexpected, and Sakura didn't like the sound of them. She moved to draw her legs from off his torso, but he suddenly gripped her calf with surprising strength, forcing her to stay. She froze. "Eventually," He murmured. "They will track us back here. I don't want to be here when that happens."

Sakura turned her head away, forcing her body into an awkward position as she was still angled toward him. Her heart was thumping wildly and uncertainly within her chest. Somewhere within the vicinity of the house, a bed creaked on its springs. Naruto noticed her change in demeanor and relaxed his grip on her leg. His other hand snaked up from under the covers between them and lifted up so that his fingers could graze under her chin. She flinched. "Are you afraid?"

The words were so quietly spoken that Sakura couldn't be sure if she heard them or not. But her heart was telling her that she heard correctly, and she couldn't manage to find the words to respond. She kept her head obstinately turned away from him. His fingers flickered against her skin once more before disappearing. "Talk to me." He whispered, and her heart lurched.

"I don't want to be." She whispered back, her head still turned away. "I want to be strong, for you, but I can't help it. I don't think I can stand being everywhere and no where at once." Her words came out in a heated rush. Her cheeks burned red, but not in embarrassment.

"I would never ask that of you." Naruto replied solemnly.

Sakura head turned sharply toward him and her green eyes were wide. She felt the prickle of tears threatening to form and she forced them away. She remained silent, her eyebrows twitching slightly as her expression became darker, yet when she spoke, her voice was calm and even. "You would leave me?"

Naruto opened his mouth to heatedly respond, then closed it, perturbed by Sakura's response. Sighing, Naruto closed his eyes and passed a free hand over his face. Sakura remained unmoving beside him.

"Sakura, do you know why I fell in love with you?" Naruto finally asked.

Sakura didn't answer, but her head inclined toward him to show that she was listening. Her eyes drifted toward him.

"I never knew love, not really." Said Naruto quietly. "Never a parent's love...I was positive that I wasn't even capable of it, not after what I had been through, what I had seen." Naruto paused then, and a light smile crossed his face. "And then you came, bursting at the seams with it, all for a man named Sasuke Uchiha, yet you seemed to be willing to share someone it with the man with ulterior motives who claimed he could help you win back your fiancee."

Sakura leaned forward, pressing her forehead into the side of Naruto's temple. Her unbound hair swung forward, hiding her expression and tickling Naruto's ear.

"You came with me that day." Continued Naruto, his voice lower than before. "I don't think I'll ever know why. You abandoned all rationale to help me. I want to one day act with the same..." He paused, as if he were searching for the right word. "...Selflessness? Yeah, selflessness that you showed that day."

Naruto turned his head so that his own forehead was pressing against Sakura's and he reached forward with both hands to cup her face. "I love you, Sakura. So if I have to leave you because I think that you're in danger, then I'm going to do it."

Sakura ducked away, burying her head in the crook of his shoulder. "You let so many people underestimate you." She murmured against the cloth of his shirt. "They don't know how truly courageous or wise you are."

* * *

_Langley, Virigina, United States_  
_7:14 UST_

Neji had always liked the idea of painting, the idea that you could start with a blank canvas and at the end have a canvas that was bursting with both color and meaning. As a child, when he had time to spare between his studies and being groomed as a member of the Hyuuga clan, Neji used to watch his grandmother paint. He loved the way her hands, gnarled; hobbled and withering with age, used to grip the paint brush with such determination and elegance that you would never hands such as that could make such a beautiful picture. Most of all, Neji liked that a story could be portrayed with just one image. That you could look at a painting and understand a story that might take an author both pages and countless words to describe.

Neji liked to consider himself a painter. Certainly it wasn't in the same way his grandmother painted and unfortunately, the stories that he painted could not be portrayed through images. But as Neji sat back, hands resting lightly on his desk, he had to argue that the paintings he created were no less stunning than those that his grandmother made. It just depended on who you asked.

It had taken him a few days and was an arduous process, but Neji had come to paint the story of Marcus O'Connor, a man of multiple identities and deception. And while it wasn't a complete picture, it should be enough to give Naruto a heads up on just who was trying to kill him this time.

There was a quick squeak of the printer as it spewed out Neji's files within a matter of seconds. Neji tapped his fingers against his desk for good measure as he casually glanced around. The office was practically empty; the skies outside dark, grey and bleak. Neji finally laid his fingers to rest before scooting back in his chair and collecting his files. Marcus' face stared back at Neji from the top sheet before Neji dropped it from his view and made his way around his desk toward Anko's office.

It would be another forty minutes or so before those not working overtime started to arrive, but somehow Neji knew that Anko would be at her desk.

Neji gave a quick rap on her door with his knuckles before turning the handle. It opened easily and sure enough, the former KGB agent was sitting at her desk, short dark hair swinging in front of her face as she scrawled her signature on a document in front of her. At the sound of the door opening, her dark eyes glanced up toward Neji. Upon seeing him standing in her doorway, stack of papers in hand, her expression did not seem pleased; as if she could guess the intent of his visit.

Straightening out, she clicked her pen with a decisive flick of her thumb and gestured for him to enter with her head. Neji nudged the door shut with his arm before seating himself in one of the plush chairs in front of Anko's desk. Anko had her arms folded across her chest when Neji glanced back at her. "I suppose its safe to assume that you ignored my orders."

"Were they ever really orders?" Neji asked, carefully placing the stack of papers on the edge of her desk.

Her eyes darted down at them for a brief second before they were once again trained on Neji. "If you wanted to keep your life, then they were."

"What if the only way I stay alive is to unravel the whole thing?"

Anko's face grew terse at his words. Her arms dropped away from her chest and they hung there, motionless and defeated for a moment before she brought them to her desk. One perfectly manicured nail tapped at her desk before curiosity claimed her and she grabbed the files that Neji had brought in. Neji's face remained impassive as he watched Anko scan and flip through them.

"This man is..." Said Anko finally, leaving the statement hanging in the air for Neji to question.

"Dead." Finished Neji.

Anko didn't surprised and if she was, her face was the perfect mask. There was silence for a long while, as if Anko was trying to comprehend something that she knew she shouldn't. And Neji didn't dare interrupt the silence, instead remaining content with his place on the chair. And then finally, Anko lifted her eyes to Neji, only it wasn't a simple glance, she was asking a question. It was a question that Neji understood perfectly, as if Anko had somehow divined the question to him.

"All I want is your support. For you to stop questioning my every move. For you to trust me. Unless you would prefer to attend to my funeral." Neji replied smoothly. An answer to her question.

Anko sighed, eyes rolling in response, but she merely pulled open a drawer in her desk and stored the stack of papers inside. Then she turned back to the paperwork on her desk - a clear indication that Neji should take his leave.

Neji's smile was brief as he nodded his head to Anko in thanks as he got up and headed toward the door. Although he really had no reason to, his shoulders already felt lighter as he made his way out of her office.

He had his next move mapped out, and without Anko monitoring his every move, covering him if need be, it would be significantly easier to accomplish.

He would need to book himself a flight to Italy - straight into the lion's den.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_18:31 UST_

He was watching her from across the room.

Watching as she tucks that stray pink strand of hair that swings in front of her face every time she bends forward behind her ear; watches as those small delicate hands of hers smooth down the backside of her silk forest green dress every so often, as if she's afraid she's flashing someone. She never is, not that Naruto would necessarily mind if she was. He watches as her green eyes dart around anxiously and he can practically see that Sakura is wearing herself thin with worry.

Waiters and waitresses, dressed in crisp white shirts and black aprons bustle past him; the smell of food wafts in the air. Brightly colored fall flowers in vases, although autumn has practically past at this point, adorn practically every surface available. Mr. Haruno is no where to be seen, although Naruto is certain that if he were present, he would be the subject of his glare.

Despite the chaos around him, a small smile crosses Naruto's lips, because he can't help but think about how cute and innocent it is that in the midst of all their current problems, her mind frets and worries over the impending visit of the cousin that she apparently hates. He takes a sip of his drink - the one that Mrs. Haruno brusquely shoved in his hand before bustling off to go fret over something else and absent-mindedly runs his hand over his silk tie. It's forest green and courtesy of Mr. Haruno as Naruto didn't currently own any clothes that would be appropriate enough for an engagement party. Mrs. Haruno thought it would be cute if Naruto and Sakura matched and Naruto didn't have the heart to tell her he thought it was tacky.

Naruto focused his attention on Sakura once more, watching as she straightened out the tablecloth on one of the tables that didn't need to be straightened. He contemplated walking over to her when his thoughts were interrupted by the shrill sound of the doorbell.

Sakura paused, her wide eyes turned toward the doorway while Mrs. Haruno screech of "Kenji they're here!" from somewhere down the hall resounded across the house. She came barreling down the hall, dress swaying against her hips before Naruto himself could even more an inch to open the door himself. Mr. Haruno sauntered out of his study just as Mrs. Haruno pulled open the door, blasting the living room with the cold winter air.

"Karin, my darling! Congratulations!" Mrs. Haruno squealed from her spot at the door as she wrapped her arms around a woman.

Naruto put his glass down on the table as he strained to make out the woman from beyond Mrs. Haruno's frame, ignoring as one of the caterers hired for the event swiped a coaster underneath his drink before he could ruin the mahogany table. As Mrs. Haruno ushers Karin, a red headed woman Naruto can only assume is Karin's mother and Mrs. Haruno's sister and a blond haired man into the house, Naruto is distracted by Sakura bolting to the bar and ordering a drink.

And all at once, the party came to life. The living room suddenly became flooded with guests, all laughing and jolly, shedding their winter coats into the hands of waiting coat checkers. Waiters and waitresses were now flooding the Haruno's decent sized living room with trays filled with hors d'oeuvres while the bartender set up in the dining room started churning out drinks to accommodate the new guests. Music was blaring slightly with the sounds of classical music. Mrs. Haruno's face was flushed with excitement and even Mr. Haruno seemed pleased as he as he chatted amicably.

Naruto watched the excitement from afar, suddenly content not to step into the party and mingle as he usually would. He found himself suddenly out of his element in the intimate gathering of the Haruno's friends and family. Naruto realized with a pang of sadness that he was usually the party crasher - the one that was never invited, the one who was never actually acquainted with anyone at the party. It was a sobering thought and Naruto was trying to wrap his mind around the concept when he felt a slender hand on his arm.

Thinking it was Sakura, Naruto turned, his face already animated in an attempt to disguise his current thoughts when he found the girl in front of him was definitely not Sakura.

The first thought that jumped in his mind was red. Everything was red, perhaps too red. And with the color red came the sobering memory of the dream that had shaken Naruto awake in the wee hours of the morning only earlier that day. The memory came like a jolt to Naruto's brain, causing him to sputter and blink his eyes rapidly as if something had startled him.

The girl in front of him, the one with all too red hair had started to laugh, and her laugh was like a high tinkling bell. It was pretty to hear and it offered something for Naruto to think about, to distract his mind from the color red.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" The girl was asking. Her voice was almost just as high as her laugh, yet there was something rough about it. Naruto shook his head, pushing the memory out of his mind with one final shove.

"No, sorry." Said Naruto, focusing his eyes once more on the girl. "I guess I just wasn't ready to be spoken to by someone as beautiful as you." The charm came out of him easily, as if it was second nature; a defense mechanism.

The girl's eyes - a dark shade of purple, almost hidden behind thick black framed glasses - narrowed and her red lips curled into a coy smile. "Well now, Sakura found herself a real playboy didn't she?"

Naruto allowed himself a smile. "Karin, right?" He asked, extending his hand out toward her. He seemed certain that only a relative of Sakura's could have such bright and flaming hair. And from what Sakura had explained of her esteemed cousin, this girl was sure to be her.

She exuded confidence; from the way half of her air was curled into tight ringlets while the other half simply curled in at the ends, to the way her stiletto heels were easily two inches higher than every other in the room. Her black strapless dress was tight, showing off her ample curves and her long fingernails were painted black as well. She had large, clunky black bangles dangling from both of her wrists. Naruto could tell just by looking at her that she was the type who didn't give a fuck what anyone thought of her, and that in and of itself was what drew people in, what made her so attractive. And yes, Naruto would be lying if he said he didn't at least find her somewhat attractive, somewhat alluring.

"At your service." Karin answered, taking Naruto's hand in her own and giving it a firm shake. A black diamond ring was glittering on her ring finger. "And I could only presume you are Naruto, Sakura's new boy toy."

Naruto dropped her hand, opening his mouth to protest such a label when Karin laughed again, her ringlets shaking with her head. "Don't worry, no one has called you that or implied anything of the like. I just like to mess with Sakura and her boyfriends."

Naruto allowed a smile cross his face as he reached over to grab the glass he had set on the table previously. "No worries. Some how I think boy toy is the last thing Sakura's family would be calling me."

Sakura couldn't help it. Her eyes were narrowed and her fists were clenched as she watched Karin suavely chatting up Naruto. Her Naruto! And he of all people had the gall to laugh at whatever was coming out of her deceiving mouth. How could he? He knew how much Sakura despised Karin, so why did it seem like he was flirting with her? God, the thought made Sakura so infuriated. Especially when Karin had the gall to look so goddamn perfect. Even while looking like some punk-rock, hipster princess, she seemed to both blend in the crowd, yet be different enough that people could look at her just once and still remember her later. Her style was outlandish sure, but never gaudy. Sakura knew for certain that if she tried to pull of such a look, she would be labeled gaudy for the rest of her life.

Just once, Sakura wished that she could be as memorable as Karin seemed to be where ever she went. Looking down at herself, Sakura sighed. It certaintly wouldn't be tonight, not while she stood there looking as frumpy and unforgettable as ever in her mom-dress. And she was literally wearing her mom's dress too, because of course when you are on the run, dresses for your cousin's engagement party really aren't on the top of your list of things to bring with you. And they didn't have time to shop for a new dress either much to Sakura's dismay. So instead she had been forced to pick out a dress from her mother's closet.

The dress she picked wasn't a complete waste. It was dark green and strapless, bunched up around the bust and stopped short just above her knees. It was a dress her mother could no longer fit into, but kept anyway in case of an emergency. But still, the fact that it was her mother's dress was enough to make Sakura burn with embarrassment for the entire night. She needed a drink. Another drink.

Sakura turned, pivoting from her spot against the bartenders table and proceeded to order the strongest drink from the menu. The bartender gave her a sympathetic look, as if he understood her pain before spinning a bottle between his fingers.

"Sakura? Oh my God you're here!"

Sakura turned, her hand reaching for her drink which the bartender enclosed her fingers around before she could drop it.

And there she was. Her best-est friend in the entire world clad in fishnet tights and sky high velvet blue pumps that matched the ruffled blue dress she was wearing.

"Ino!" Sakura exclaimed, jumping up in excitement at the sight of her platinum blond friend. Her drink sloshed from her cup slightly as Sakura all but ran over to her friend in her giddy excitement before pulling her in for a bear hug.

"God I've missed you!" Ino exclaimed, hugging her best friend close to her with both of her arms. "I wasn't even sure you'd be here! I tried calling you like three times and you never answered. It kept giving me some bullshit that your number had been disconnected." Ino explained as they pulled away from each other, her baby blue eyes wide in confusion.

"Oh yeah..." Said Sakura sheepishly, pausing a moment to take a sip from her drink. "It's just this...new thing I've been trying. Hahaha...no cell phone." Sakura winced internally, knowing how lame that must have sounded.

"What? Why?" Asked Ino, her perfectly plucked eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she tried to make sense of Sakura's half-assed explanation.

"Oh just...you know." Said Sakura, waving her hand frantically as if that would help smooth along her explanation. "Eliminating stress by eliminating technology. It's...sort of hard to explain..."

"Um, ok Sakura, sure. I just can't believe you're here!" Said Ino, prying Sakura's drink out of her hand and taking a gulp out of it herself. "I thought I'd see you in hell before you'd come to Karin's engagement party."

"She is family, Ino." Sakura replied, reclaiming her drink before Ino could drink it all.

"Fuck family!" Exclaimed Ino, which earned her a few disgruntled stares from the guests around her. "That bitch was macking on your fiancee at your engagement party. I mean, the nerve!" Exclaimed Ino.

"God," Said Sakura as she took Ino by the wrist and dragged her away from the guests who were now giving Ino dirty looks which the blond was either promptly ignoring or just didn't notice, "You can't be drunk already can you?" Ino was notoriously famous for being the first to get sloshed at parties.

"Calm your tits, Sakura, I've only had one drink." Said Ino, looking away as she swiped her long bangs away from her eyes. "So far."

Sakura rolled her eyes and took a sip of her drink. "Try to contain yourself this time, Ino. I'm sure my dad will be absolutely thrilled if he has to drive you home in your drunken state since he so thoroughly enjoyed it the first time when we were drinking during my seventeenth birthday."

"Psh." Said Ino, waving her hand at Sakura as if to dismiss her. "That was ages ago. Now let's steer the topic onto something more pressing. Like, where the hell that hunk of man candy whom you left me to go to Morocco with is."

Sakura had to both roll her eyes and smile at Ino's description of Naruto. "He's over there, talking with the queen bitch herself." Said Sakura, pointing through the crowd.

Ino turned, following Sakura's finger to where Naruto was still amicably chatting with Karin. Ino turned back, shaking her head as she pried Sakura's drink from her fingers once more. Sakura said nothing and didn't even try to stop her friend this time as Ino downed the drink in one go. Shaking her head, Ino thrust the glass back in Sakura's hand and grabbed her wrist. "Let's go jack some bitches up."

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_21:05 UST_

_"Why are you asking about Glaido?"_

_"Because those NATO officers that Asuma was investigating? They were all involved."_

Snow was gently falling, covering the sidewalk in a light layer that looked as if someone had sprinkled powdered sugar everywhere. Despite the late hour, residents were stepping out of their homes, lifting their hands and observing the skies as the snow drifted past lamp posts. It was a picturesque image, despite it being rare for snow to fell before December.

One person, however, decided not to join the festivities outside. Sasuke Uchiha chose to remain inside, silently observing the falling snow from the window of the study. The Uchiha manor was silent - both of his parents were out on social events and Itachi away on business although he often lived in his own upscale apartment in the middle of the city. Sasuke glanced at the watch on his wrist. He wondered if Hinata was home yet.

Suddenly feeling remorseful, Sasuke ran a hand through his hair - a gesture he has become accustomed to do when he is stressed. Ever since Asuma's death, the case of finding his murderer (because Sasuke is sure now that something had pushed Asuma to kill himself) had consumed him and Sasuke knew that he had allowed it. Hinata had merely become a figure in his peripheral vision - a person who he now realized that he had barely seen within the last few weeks. And here he was, hiding out in his family home because he knew that the house was empty and that he would be able to conduct his research in peace.

Not that he expected Hinata to bother him, but because Sasuke realized that he didn't want her to see what he was researching.  
There was a distant sound of a car door slamming shut. Compared with the dead silence in the Uchiha manor, the sound made Sasuke jump from his seat. Rising, Sasuke flicked back the curtains covering the window with his finger; just wide enough for him to peer out. It was the neighbor, carrying his young son out of the car while his daughter spun around, face lifted to the falling snow. With a scowl, Sasuke pulled away from the window and returned to his seat.

Operation Glaido - a dark time in Italian history, just as Kakashi had said. And now just the thought of it was making Sasuke paranoid.

Glaido was before his time, before Kakashi's time even, yet the repercussions of it were still being felt today. Sasuke realized with dread that it was not something that he wanted to be dragged into, but it appeared as if Asuma had unwilling put himself right in the middle - and Sasuke had foolheartedly followed him in. Sasuke knew enough about Glaido from his own studies of history and politics and garnered enough information from Kakashi to begin to put the pieces together. Glaido was codename for a secret operation in Italy involving NATO after World War II. Specifically, Glaido was a "stay-behind" operation that operated for the sole reason that if Italy was to become overrun by any enemy military action, there would be troops at the ready to perform a resistance. On the surface, Glaido didn't sound all that threatening. NATO sponsored a lot of stay-behind operations in European countries in the aftermath of World War II, especially because of the Communist threat presented by the Soviet Union.

Glaido, however, only fueled further political unrest in Italy that resulted in bouts of terrorism and social conflict.

Asuma probably didn't know that the NATO officers whose disappearances he was investigating were involved in Glaido. It took Sasuke a vast amount of digging - unnecessary digging - to discover that small thread that strung them all together. And the only reason that prompted Sasuke to dig so hard was to prove that the NATO disappearances; Asuma's suicide had absolutely nothing to do with the ITP. Even if it was only to put Kakashi and perhaps even his own mind at rest.

But Sasuke had to ask himself, was this any better? What motivation would anyone have to track down and possibly murder those having to do with Glaido? And furthermore, if someone prompted Asuma to kill himself because he got to close, what would they do to Sasuke if he got too close?

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_19:21 UST_

Naruto wondered perhaps if he was in for a scene when out of the corner of his eye he saw Ino striding up, blond hair flying behind her, and dragging a slightly aggravated, slightly confused Sakura behind her. Karin stopped mid sentence when Ino stomped short right next to them.

"Ino." She exclaimed exuberantly. "God, I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Yeah," Ino replied without enthusiasm, "It's been too long."

The smile on Karin's face faded, as if she were suddenly sensing the sullen and almost violent mood that both Sakura and Ino brought with them. Naruto took a large gulp of his drink. It was to Karin's credit that she was quick on the uptake.

"Ino." Naruto finally sputtered out when the silence seemed to be too thick with tension. "How are you?"

Ino turned toward Naruto and suddenly her smile was sugary sweet. It was almost too much for Naruto to take. "I've been fucking fabulous, thanks. And I was feeling fucking fabulous right up until I saw you talking with this bitch here." And at this point Ino turned her murderous gaze upon Karin.

"Ino!" Sakura hissed as both Naruto and Karin's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Maybe I should leave..." Naruto murmured uncertainly, his eyes roving the living room as he were looking for a black hole that would allow him to escape his current predicament.

Karin, however, brushed off Ino's comment with a shake of her ringlets and sighed, looking toward Sakura. "Sakura, you aren't still mad about what happened at your engagement party last year are you?"

Before Sakura could get a word in, Karin brushed past Ino, who had daggers in her eyes and placed both of her hands on Sakura's bare shoulders. Sakura glanced down, uncertain of what exactly was going on. Karin's diamond ring was glittering under the light.

"Babe, you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you." Karin said, her eyes sympathetic. "I was going through a rough patch at the time. Suigetsu and I have always had this on and off and then on again thing. Obviously it's on right now," She said with a giggle. She reflexively moved her left hand, making her ring catch in the light, "But at that time it was off. And babe, you have to admit that, that Sasuke boy was one hot piece of ass."

At this, Naruto really wanted to turn around and gag, but he supposed that staying where he was would be some sort of moral support for Sakura. Ino was rolling her eyes beside him, muttering obscenities under her breath.

"This one's not so bad either." Said Karin, jerking her head in Naruto's direction. "But you know I love you right?"

Sakura opened her mouth once again to respond, but was cut off by Karin's loud yell as she waved someone over. Naruto watched as a man, no older than himself with a mop of silvery hair weaved his way through the crowd and planted himself next to Karin, pulling her in by the waist. She squealed in delight which made Ino wrinkle her nose in disgust and Sakura take an immediate step backward.

"Oh babe, stop it." Karin said, feebly pushing away at her fiancee who had put his lips to her neck. "You remember my cousin Sakura, and my friend Ino." She said, gesturing toward the two girls who looked like they wanted to be anywhere but there."

The man, who Naruto could only assume was Karin's fiancee Suigetsu, finally pulled himself away from Karin's neck and eyed both Sakura and Ino. "Oh yeah," He said nonchalantly, "We met once...around, somewhere." He gestured loosely with his hand in a haphazard way. His black tie was already slackened around his neck and Naruto had to wonder if Karin's fiancee was perhaps drunk already.

Karin only giggled at his response, but Ino mearly grunted in disgust and muttered some excuse about needing another drink before stalking away. Sakura looked uncertain at the situation, as if she just had no energy left to be mad at Karin any more.

As Karin briefly introduced Naruto to Suigetsu and they shook hands, Naruto wondered whether all family functions happened to be this dysfunctional.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_11:19 UST_

Demurely tucking one ankle behind the other, Hinata swept a strand of long hair behind her ear as she gazed absentmindedly at a poster that was taped to the wall. It was of the human body, sans limbs with one half depicting the musculature and organs, the other half being a normal skinned body. Labels written in Italian pointed out each of the major organs. Unfazed, Hinata turned her head away. At university, Hinata had once taken an anatomy class for a semester. Despite her demure appearance, she had immensely enjoyed taking the class, even when the professor had rolled in a cadaver lying on a steel gurney and announced that they would be 'digging in'.

She smiled briefly at the memory as her pale eyes swept across the room. The tinge of alcohol hung in the room, making Hinata's stomach curdle. Pursing her lips tight, Hinata willed her stomach to stay strong as her nose upturned.

The door clicked open and was momentarily distracted from her churning stomach as her doctor strode in. She was young and stylish, her hair pulled back into a ponytail with a few stray strands framing her face.

_"Well,"_ She said, pulling off her thick framed glasses with one swift movement as she tucked her clipboard and folder under her arm. _"Your blood test will be sent to the lab. We should get the results from those in a few weeks. I'll call you as soon as we receive them."_

_"As for the stress that you were talking about earlier,"_ The doctor continued, turning to put down her clipboard and folder down on the table, _"It's important for you to keep your stress levels down. I suggest buying a stress ball or perhaps engaging in another activity that keeps your hands busy. I've heard the art of origami can really be helpful."_

_"Grazie."_ Said Hinata, a polite smile gracing her face as she rose from her seat. _"And what of the stomach troubles I've been having lately? Is there something I can take for that?"_

_"Oh, that should be going away soon."_ Said the doctor smiling. _"Congratulations, by the way."_

The expression on Hinata's face faltered as she stared at her doctor in confusion. _"Whatever for, Dr. Binachi?"_

A brief look of shock passed over the young doctor's face before she replaced it with a beaming smile. A nauseous, anxious feeling crept it's way through Hinata's stomach. Instinctively, she took a step backward toward the door.

_"Then allow me be the first to tell you the good news. You're about four weeks in, a little early to be getting morning sickness, but I can assure you it is perfectly normal."_

The blank look on Hinata's face must have told Dr. Binachi something, for she added, with a slight frown on her face, _"Your pregnant, Hinata. You're going to have a baby!"_

* * *

**Random Fact:** The Uchiha matriarch wanted her sons to be well rounded and thus, Sasuke Uchiha is accomplished in both English and Italian literature, can speak Latin, Spanish, French, Italian and English, can fence, play the Mandolin and dance the Tarantella

**Note2: **So obviously this is a work of fiction. I had to make certain pieces of history fit in with my story line. However, if you are confused by any of the events mentioned here, feel free to Wikipedia it or message me and I can try my best to explain it.


	13. Chapter 13

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Thank you, readers who have stuck with this story thus far. I know its hard to keep reading a story that updates so infrequently, but I appreciate your efforts in reading up till now. Thanks.

**100 reviews! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far. **

* * *

013: Won't Back Down  
_(you'll never guess whose knocking at your door)_

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_13:21 UST_

Sasuke drove up a small and winding road, trees with sparse branches covered in a fine layer of snow lining either side. Quickly finding a parking space, Sasuke pulled in and killed the engine. The residential area was quiet, most being already at work. Sasuke sat there a moment, staring silently at the home he had parked in front of. There was a time when he could remember the house in all its glory; pink and white balloons tied to either side of the railing, marking the birth of a newborn baby girl. Or when there had been a huge Christmas tree, at least seven feet tall, sitting in the front yard that had been almost garnishly decorated with as many different colored lights and ornaments as any one tree could possibly hold.

Or lastly, when there had been half a dozen police cars haphazardly pulled to the curb, lights flashing, an ambulance waiting and many uniformed men, standing on he lawn where the Christmas tree had previously stood, hands on the railing that had been decorated with balloons, shaking their heads solemnly. Now it was bare and empty, only a yellow ticker tape baring entry across the door, sagging slightly in the wind.

Shaking his head, Sasuke pulled his keys from the ignition and tucked them in his pocket as he got out of the car. With his head bent, he slowly made his way up the walk way and up the stairs to the door. Turning the doorknob, the door opened easily, creaking slightly and Sasuke ducked under the ticker tape and stepped inside. The furniture was still inside, but it looked bare and unused. As Sasuke looked around, he had a hard time comprehending that this was same same furniture, the same room that he had sat in so often before with his friends.

Gliding his hand up the polished wooden railing, Sasuke walked up the stairs to the second level. Most of the valuable items, like Kurenai's jewelry had already been distributed to family members and friends as determined by her will. Photos and most personal belongings had also been claimed. Asuma's computer and any other files that were work related had already been claimed by Interpol and was currently sitting on Sasuke's desk. Anna's belongings had been entirely cleared out as well. All that remained where the bare remnants of the life that used to belong to Asuma and Kurenai Sarutobi.

A quick probe around Asuma and Kurenai's bedroom proved to be fruitless. A few clothes still remained in the dresser and in the closet. There were no loose floorboards or false walls, nothing that Asuma could have hidden things behind or in. Asuma's study was useless as well. His desk was cleared out, his files gone. Sasuke had suspected as much, so he turned his attention toward the vast library of books that covered the entire back wall of the study that remained mostly intact. As Sasuke pilfered through each and every book, however, the found that there was nothing to be found. No hidden slips of paper, nothing.

Yelling out in aggravation, Sasuke chucked the book he was holding against the opposite wall and then ran his hands through his hair. After a moment or two in which Sasuke let all the nasty thoughts he had that he had found nothing filter through his mind, he got up and quickly gathered all the discarded books and stacked them back in the bookshelf.

Gathering his jacket from off the back of Asuma's chair, Sasuke quickly jogged back down the stairs. He took one last look around the living room, where there was zero evidence that Asuma was trying to hide anything, and ducked back through the front door, closing it behind him.

As he glanced up, miraculously, that's when he noticed it. It probably would have been impossible to notice once the sun set for it was hidden fairly well in the shadows of the porch columns. And for those who had come in and out of the house since the accident, well they probably would have never noticed it either unless they were looking for it or had exceptionally keen eyes like Sasuke did.

Reaching up, Sasuke plucked a small, black wireless camera from its place hidden in the shadows.

Before Sasuke could contemplate if the camera was there on purpose, or if someone else had placed it there to spy on Asuma, a neighbor calling to him captured Sasuke's attention.

_"Are you with the polizia?"_ A small, frail woman, perhaps in 60's asked from her position on her porch.

_"Interpol, signora."_ Said Sasuke, tucking the camera in his pocket as he moved off the porch to better show her his badge. She squinted at it for a few moments before deeming it must be legitimate.

_"A shame what happened, to that poor man and his family. Were you a friend of his?"_ The woman asked, gesturing toward the house. _"I think I remember seeing you here, once or twice."_

_Si, signora."_ Sasuke responded. _"Asuma and I worked together. He was a close friend."_

_"Such a nice man."_ The woman reminisced. _"He always used to bring over a couple slices of pie whenever his wife baked. Excellent at making pies she was."_ She sighed then, looking away. _"I was growing worried about him. Perhaps if I had warned someone, this tragedy could have been avoided."_

Sasuke, who had been contemplating making his getaway, suddenly turned his full attention back on the woman. _"I'm sorry, signora, what do you mean that you were worried about him?"_ Sasuke asked, moving closer to the woman where she stood on her porch

"Oh." Said the woman, now wringing her hands together. _"He was very...strange that week. He would come over quite often and ask me if anyone had visited the house, or if there were suspicious cars driving by."_

_"And were there?"_ Sasuke asked, growing both increasingly worried and intrigued by the conversation.

_"No, not that I ever saw. This neighborhood is usually very quiet."_ The woman paused, looking up toward the sky. Her hands stopped wringing. _"He seemed very...lost. I would see him standing out here, looking at his house like he had no idea that he lived there. I wanted to speak with Kurenai about it, but she was always so busy with the baby I didn't want to intrude..."_ The woman looked away and went back to wringing her hands.

Sasuke's head was spinning. _"Signora, did you speak to anyone else about this?"_

_"No, Signore."_

_"Would you mind if I got your phone number?"_ Sasuke asked, pulling out his cell phone. _"I'd like to speak to you again about this."_

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_12:43 UST_

_"H-Hanabi! Gosh I'm so s-sorry!"_ Hinata stuttered as she stumbled over to her younger sister and plopped down in her seat. Out of breath, Hinata's hands immediately went to flatten her hair which she was certain looks like a bird's nest.

_"This is very unlike you, Sis."_ Hanabi said smoothly as she reached for her glass of purified water. _"Usually I'm the one who's late. I ordered us both the usual."_

_"I know."_ Said Hinata as she gave up the attempt to flatten her hair and she pulled off her gloves and removed her coat. _"I was just…held up at the office."_

In truth, Hinata wasn't even certain why she was late. She knew for a fact that she had left the office at a reasonable time where it would allow her to reach the restaurant she was meeting Hanabi for lunch at with enough time to spare. But instead, she had found herself in her car, knowing that she had just seen something very horrendous yet she could not for the life of her remember what. By then, there was only 15 minutes left to spare for Hinata to drive across town so she had promptly stepped on it. In fact, she probably would have forgotten about her lunch date with her sister entirely had she not happened to see it penciled into the calendar sitting on her desk. Which was rather strange considering she met her sister for lunch every week.

Hinata pulled herself back to reality as she nodded her approval at the waiter who was offering to pour her a glass of purified water. _"So Hanabi, how have you been doing?"_

Her sister looked as dignified as ever. Her smooth, straight black hair was loose around her face. Yet unlike the current state of Hinata's hair, Hanabi's hair was silky straight and had an undeniable sheen to it. She was dressed elegantly in dark pants and Chanel flats. A thin silver chain encircled her neck which was paired with a silk blue short sleeved shirt. Her jacket was tossed over the back of her chair.

Hanabi shrugged her shoulders. _"The usual old Hyuuga nonsense."_ Hanabi said airily as she pursed her pink lips together. _"Father says that I should stop fooling around with older men and find a suitable man to settle down and have babies with yada yada yada."_ She waved her hand around, the silver rings on her fingers flashing in the light. _"He wants me to follow the good example that you set, even if he still pissed over your…career choice."_

Hinata's hand fidgeted as she unrolled her silverware from their napkin and then smoothed the napkin over the pencil skirt that she was wearing. _"Father only means well…we all know that…"_ Hinata paused, choosing her words wisely. _"Have you ever…considered…following father's wishes? Of settling down?"_

Hanabi scoffed and took another sip of her drink. _"Of course not. I'm not interested in becoming someone's doormat. No offense."_ She added, almost as an afterthought. _"I know you and Sasuke truly love each other. It's just I don't think I'll ever find something like the two of you have."_

_"Unless,"_ She added, a sly grin on her face, _"It was with Itachi Uchiha. But then again, trying to get into his pants his is like trying to get into the fucking Pope's. Believe me, I tried."_

_"Hanabi!"_ Hinata exclaimed softly, her eyes wide. _"When exactly did you try to seduce Itachi?"_

_"It's of none of your concern."_ Said Hanabi, waving her hand away. _"You wouldn't like the answer."_

Hinata pursed her lips, suddenly very troubled by the idea._ "So,"_ She said quickly, to both change the subject and try to get the image out of her head,_ "How is Ralph doing?"_

Ralph was Hanabi's current boyfriend and also about twenty years older than her sister was. He was an American business man who Hanabi had met during a business summit she attended with Hiashi. From what Hinata understood, he was recently divorced, very in love with Hanabi and just about ready to throw his money away on whatever Hanabi desired.

_"Ralph wants to take me to St. Barts something or the other for Christmas."_ Hanabi explained, her expression nonchalant.

_"Well…that sounds like fun."_ Hinata offered, confused by the lack of enthusiasm in her sister's voice.

Hanabi shrugged again. _"Not really, it doesn't sound like my sort of thing. In fact, I thought I might stay home for Christmas this year."_

_"Why?"_ Asked Hinata, eyebrows furrowing. _"I thought you hated spending Christmas at home."_ Christmas with the Hyuuga's was usually a nice, elegant affair that included morning mass in St. Peter's Square before the entire family came to Hiashi's manor in the late afternoon for a huge dinner.

_"Yeah, well, you know we'll do our Hyuuga thing and Neji will probably come for at least an hour because he's a good Hyuuga like that."_ Hanabi explained. _"And then a fight will probably break out between him and Aunt Michiko over his whore of a wife and that's always entertaining."_

Hinata frowned slightly. _"You shouldn't call Tenten a whore. She's actually very nice once you get to know her."_ Hinata couldn't boast to be particularly close to her cousin Neji, although perhaps she did feel some sort of connection to his considering they had both defied familial expectations. But Neji had always been cold and aloof to her, even as children. Neji had seemed to Hinata the epitome of what the Hyuuga expected their children to be. So it had come as quite a shock to Hinata when Neji moved to America to join the CIA.

And then when his marriage to Tenten had seemingly put a huge blemish on the Hyuuga name considering the scandalous position Neji had put the family in. But Hinata, despite not being close with her cousin, had never quite believed the truth in what supposedly had happened. She had this strange sort of faith in her cousin and was thus the only one who seemed to want to befriend Tenten.

She could not, however, say the same for Hanabi.

_"Please, Hinata. You could be the nicest person on the entire face of the fucking planet but it still won't change what you are."_ Hanabi said, rather unapologetically as she tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder.

Hanabi, although she didn't like to admit it, was cut from the same Hyuuga cloth as the rest of the family. Once a Hyuuga opinion was formed, they were loath to change it, even if evidence proved otherwise.

Hinata sighed, knowing that to argue otherwise would be fruitless. It was then that their waiter presented them with their meal: a freshly cut salad with walnuts, apples, cranberries and mandarin oranges and a lovely vinaigrette dressing while Hanabi got a pasta salad tossed with a variety of vegetables and covered in a pesto sauce.

_"Well, what's going on with you then?"_ Hanabi asked. _"Sasuke still depressed?"_

Hinata cleared her throat nervously and then placed her fork down on the table. _"Umm…actually Hanabi, I have something important that I have to tell you."_

Hanabi looked up, white eyes probing Hinata silently for answers as she slowly chewed her pasta. _"Well go on then."_

Hinata bit her lip. _"I'm pregnant, Hanabi."_

At first, Hanabi's face remained impassive as she finished chewing her food. But then surprise slowly dawned on her face as her eyes widened and she dropped her fork. _"Wait…you're serious? No shit!"_ Hanabi exclaimed loudly, her face lighting up. Hinata quickly turned red, her eyes furtively darting around as she noticed others looking at Hanabi because of her outburst.

_"I'm going to be a fucking aunt! Can you believe that?"_ Hanabi gushed. _"How far along are you?"_

_"Dr. Binachi said that I'm about a month pregnant."_ Hinata explained softly.

Hanabi's expression soured upon Hinata's response and she sat back. _"That far? How come you didn't tell me earlier you bitch?"_

Bitch was rather colloquial speech for Hanabi so Hinata wasn't all that offended. _"I didn't know. Dr. Binachi told me the other day. I suppose that I've been so busy with work and then with Sasuke's co-worker and all…I guess I've just been too busy to notice…"_

Hanabi's face was skeptical and said that she didn't quite believe Hinata's explanation, but she shrugged it off and resumed eating her pasta. _"So what did Sasuke say when you told him?"_

"Ahh…" Said Hinata looking down, her cheeks burning read again. _"That's the thing, Hanabi. I haven't told Sasuke or father yet."_

_"What the hell?"_ Hanabi cried, her fork dropping from her hand and clattering against her plate before it fell to the floor. Immediately, another waiter was there, picking her fork up from the floor and offering her a clean one. Hanabi impatiently waved him off and she grabbed the new one and placed it on the table. _"Are you fucking insane? I don't know about Sasuke but father is going to flip his shit when he finds out. Why haven't you told them yet?"_

_"I don't know!"_ Hinata confessed, cheeks still burning. Her fingers started twiddling and pulling nervously at the tips of her hair. _"I guess because Sasuke has had so much on his plate already and I didn't want to add to his list of worries. And I can't tell father before I tell Sasuke. If Sasuke found out he would feel like I betrayed him. That's why you can't tell anyone, Hanabi."_ Said Hinata looking up toward her sister, staring at her desperately. _"Promise me you won't tell anyone!"_

_"Dio Mio, you have to be kidding me."_ Said Hanabi staring up toward the ceiling. _"Of course I promise. You're my sister, it's practically obligatory that I promise."_ Hanabi sighed exasperatedly. _"But you need to promise me that you'll tell them. And soon! This is not something that you can exactly hide forever you know!"_

_"Oh, yes I know."_ Said Hinata, a relieved smile breaking out onto her face. _"Thank you, Hanabi."_ She said, reaching across the table to grasp her sister's hand.

_"Yeah, yeah, yeah."_ Said Hanabi looking away. _"Just plan to tell them soon."_

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_8:15 UST_

He blew a warm breath onto his hands, furiously rubbing them together as he found that the cheap brown gardening gloves were really doing nothing to shield his fingers from the frigid Michigan air. Sighing in defeat, Naruto shoved his hands into the pockets of his North Face and hugged his arms close to his body. His shoes crunched against the light dusting of snow that have covered the field they were currently standing in as they walked forward toward the dark, dense, and if Naruto was being truthful with himself - forbidding forest looming before them. The sky was bright blue and there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but Naruto couldn't bring himself to feel all that optimistic.

Mr. Haruno was striding beside him, two shotguns slung across his shoulder.

No, he was not feeling optimistic at all.

"Ever been hunting before?" Mr. Haruno asked, breaking the silence between them. The wind howled slightly past them as their footsteps echoed across the empty field. A few birds cawed in the distance.

Naruto jumped slightly at the sound of his voice, but then shrugged it off. "No, Sir." He replied steadily.

"Hmm...a few pheasant or two never hurt anyone." Mr. Haruno shrugged, adjusting the strap on his shoulder.

"I had never been hunting before either." Said Mr. Haruno once more, startling Naruto. "Susan's father took me the first time. A...right of passage to marry his daughter. I suppose this is a sort of right of passage too." He murmured quietly.

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, his thoughts having been preoccupied with somehow trying to convince Sakura's father that just because he had a few faults did not mean that he deserved to be shot. As Mr. Haruno's words registered in Naruto's head, however, his blue eyes widened and he quickly ran to catch up with the older man who had continued on walking without him. "Oh! No, Sir!" Naruto gulped, his face flushed as he returned to Mr. Haruno's side. "I'm not...we're not...Sakura and I aren't getting married." He explained, his words coming out in a jumbled rush.

Mr. Haruno turned toward him, his green eyes calmly appraising Naruto from behind his glasses. "I know that." He replied gruffly. "You would have asked me already if you were."

Naruto gave out what sounded like both a half hearted laugh and a relieved sigh and quickly wiped the sweat that had started to bead on his forehead. He eagerly nodded his head, as if agreeing with Mr. Haruno.

"But you can't tell me you two aren't sleeping together."

"Sir...!" Naruto sputtered, eyes wide as his head whipped toward the older man.  
"Don't look so shocked." Said Mr. Haruno, sparing a seconds glance over at Naruto before turning back. "Young people...living together for a few months. My daughter is passionate, Naruto. You don't have to lie to me."

Naruto gulped. Suddenly, his body didn't feel quite so cold, but was instead burning up as he tried to gauge just how fast he would be able to grab one of the shut guns from Mr. Haruno's shoulder before the man himself pointed the gun at him. "But you should know, Sir, we haven't...done anything here." He stuttered, trying to placate the situation before he was a deadman.

"Oh, I know that." Said Mr. Haruno airily. "You've proved yourself trustworthy thus far."

They had reached the edge of the forest. Filtered beams of light rained through the overhead crowd of branches, illuminating white patches of snow on the ground. Through the dense thicket of trees, Naruto could not make out any of the supposed animals that they were supposed to be hunting. Without warning, Mr. Haruno silently removed both shotguns from his shoulder and handed one to Naruto. His movements were silent as the older man removed the safety and cocked it.

A single shot rang through the air, reverberating through the forest. Naruto had forgotten how spooky it sounded to hear a gunshot admist the silence.

"Get ready." Said Mr. Haruno softly as he turned, gun aimed toward the sky. Behind him, Naruto could hear Mr. Haruno's seemingly stray bullet hit the bark of a tree.

Then, without warning, branches shuddered and a whirring filled the air as a flock of birds took to the sky, flying back the way Naruto and Mr. Haruno had come. Mr. Haruno took another shot, the gun firing once more. This time, among the bird caws, there came one strangled cry as one pheasant fell away from the rest, plummeting somewhere in the middle of the field.

"Nice shot, Sir." Said Naruto appreciatively.

"Aren't you going to take your shot?" Mr. Haruno asked, lowering his gun as the flock flew farther away.

"I guess I will..." Said Naruto, quickly bringing the gun up to level and firing. Another pheasant fell into the field.

Naruto smiled, turning toward Mr. Haruno who seemed to be at least mildly impressed.

"Remember," Said Mr. Haruno, turning away as he aimed his gun again. "Respect is not given, it is earned."

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_2:36 UST_

The house was silent, only the slight swaying of tree branches could be heard from outside or the occasional car driving by a couple of streets down. Sakura, therefore, was trying her best to be silent as she made her way from the bathroom. Her father had become a light sleeper in his old age and the wooden floors on the second level tended to creak something terrible. Sakura was trying to rely on her childhood knowledge of where the creakiest areas were, and so far, it was proving useful.

It had been a busy day for Sakura; one of the busiest since returning to Ann Arbor. Since Mr. Haruno had taken Naruto hunting – an expedition that Sakura had pleaded with her father not to do – Sakura had joined her mother for her morning yoga sessions that she had once a week. It had felt good for Sakura to just relax and stretch, one of the most relaxing moments she had in a while. But afterward, Sakura had to accompany her mother grocery shopping which basically meant it was her mother's gossip time. When they returned, Naruto and her father returned, a couple pheasants in hand. Sakura and her mother had spent the rest of the afternoon preparing one for dinner and preparing the others for storage. It was a good dinner, but one Sakura could not imagine having to prepare again the next day.

"Uh!"

Sakura stopped, heart jumping into her throat and the sound of the noise, accompanied by the creaking of bed springs. As her heart, which was now beating erratically after being taken by surprise, Sakura realized that she was in front of Naruto's closed door. Eyebrows furrowing, Sakura took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and then strained her ears to listen.

"Shit, shit, shit…" She could hear Naruto muttering from on the other side of the closed door, bed springs creaking again as he shifted his position around.

Sakura's hand snuck toward the doorknob, but then she paused when her fingers touched the cool metal. She should have been opening the door, ready to comfort Naruto from whatever was obviously bothering him, but something stopped her.

What exactly was bothering him? How long had it been bothering him for? Why hadn't he told her both it yet? Sakura's hands clenched into fists and she could feel her short fingernails digging into her palm. She was tired of Naruto hiding things from her, whether it was for her own safety or not. After the Marcus incident, he had promised there would no longer be secrets between them and she believed him. So why was he still keeping things from her?

"Stupid fucking dream…" She could now hear him muttering.

A dream? Was Naruto now having nightmares? Considering all that he had been through, Sakura wasn't all that surprised. They must have started fairly recently, because Naruto's sleep patterns prior to their trip to Michigan were fairly uninterrupted. Sakura's eyebrows creased again. She could hear the bed creaking again, perhaps as Naruto settled back down to sleep and the house was silent once more. Sakura, however, remained standing where she was.

It seemed, that no matter how much Sakura pleaded with Naruto that she would be able to handle whatever he had to tell her, it was still convinced that he was somehow protecting her by keeping her in the dark. Sakura knew he would leave if he felt that her safety was threatened – he made it clear enough through their conversation a couple of days ago. So now, perhaps it had to be up to Sakura to take matter into her own hands. To prove that she wasn't as delicate and breakable as Naruto kept making her out to be. That despite her not having a background in killing and dismantling super secret organizations, she could still hold her own.

**Random Fact:** Despite growing up in a Catholic home, Kakashi Hatake became an Aetheist at age seventeen.


	14. Chapter 14

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Oh man...are any of my original readers still out there? Still reading this story? Because damn, this chapter is late as hell

* * *

014: Seven Devils  
_(They were there when I woke up this morning, I'll be dead before the day is done)_

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
9:34 UTC_

Temari was giving him one of those looks. The one where her eyes were slightly narrowed - so much so that her curled eyelashes, darkened with mascara were brushing against her cheeks. Her amethyst eyes were appraising him in that way that made him think that she was looking into him, as if he were a machine and she wanted to find out what got him ticking.

That look made him nervous and he was already nervous, so he snapped.

_"God woman, stop looking at me like that. If you have something to say, then say it!"_ Shikamaru hissed sharply.

Temari's mouth then pursed into a thin line and Shikamaru instantly regretted the lines that came out of his mouth. He gave an audible sigh and put his head into his hands while Temari shifted beside him, re-crossed her legs and turned her body slightly away from him as she crossed his arms.

_"Watch yourself, Nara."_ She said simply, but Shikamaru had been with her long enough to recognize the venom in her voice.

Shikamaru peered out at her from behind his hand. He knew it would be of no use apologizing now._ "You might as well just say it."_ He grumbled.

Temari glanced over at him, lips still pursed. _"We've known each other for a long time and I know you well. But do you even know anything about raising a child?"_

Shikamaru sighed again and shut his eyes. He knew that this conversation had been coming. Actually, he was surprised he had gotten this far without it being mentioned. Sure, Temari had raised a bit of a fuss when he had first mentioned his intention to claim the custody of poor little Anna Sarutobi but Shikamaru had quieted her easily. Shikamaru supposed now that she might have been biding her time.

_"I thought that you might have come to your senses,"_ Temari revealed, _"Given enough time. But I can see now that you are serious about this. Maybe the only thing in your life that you've ever been serious about."_ Temari mused. Shikamaru thought that maybe she sounded a little hurt at that.

And suddenly, in that instant, Shikamaru felt a little sorry for Temari. She didn't know of his connection with Asuma Sarutobi - it had been before he met her and he had never bothered to tell her. She didn't understand why this suddenly mattered so much to him. She didn't know that he had made vows and he intended to keep them. And, if Shikamaru really thought about it, Temari probably felt a little betrayed as well. She wasn't the type of woman to bring up things like marriage and children, but Shikamaru, being as astute as he was, would of had to have been blind if he didn't pick up on the little things now and again - the rigid smile on her face when they had received Chouji's wedding invitation, the longing look in her eyes when Temari gazed upon the picture of her newborn nephew. Shikamaru had always been content with where they were, but maybe now he realized that he had been wrong.

And now he wondering now, if maybe, just maybe, this whole Anna situation would be enough to drive an irreparable rift between them.

It was too late to think about such things.

The clacking of heels on the linoleum tile caused Shikamaru to lift his head from his hands. Hiruzen Sarutobi was striding forward toward them, as formidable looking now in old age as he had been when Shikamaru had first laid eyes on him. His white hair and beard were recently trimmed and his grey suit was pressed, but Shikamaru still noticed the dark bags under his eyes.

Temari stood up when Hiruzen had reached them and she pulled Shikamaru to his feet with her. Looking at Hiruzen's impeccable appearance and his own disheveled one, Shikamaru wondered, and certainly not for the first time, exactly why Hiruzen was giving him his support.

_"Well..."_ Began Hiruzen, sounding older than his years, _"Because there was nothing specifying what should happen to Anna in case of their...deaths,"_ The word sounded bitter, "We have a good chance."

Shikamaru knew that he should have been thanking Hiruzen, because he knew that without him, Shikamaru knew he probably wouldn't have any chance, but Shikamaru hadn't been feeling all that optimistic lately. _"What's the but?"_

_"Hm?"_ Hiruzen seemed confused.

_"The but."_ Shikamaru repeated, perhaps sounding a bit irritated. _"There's always a but, so what is it this time."_

A small, amused sort of smile crossed Hiruzen's face briefly as he considered Shikamaru, but the amusement didn't seem to reach his eyes. _"But...the Italian court isn't just going to hand off an infant child to an unmarried, twenty-something young man with no prospects, no identifiable relationship with the child or the parents and if I'm being honest...a rather shady background."_

Shikamaru nodded, his head bobbing in slow motion. There was truth in Hiruzen's words. He couldn't even make himself feel embarrassed at them, or even dismayed.

_"Even with my support,"_ Hiruzen continued, _"If you want this, and I mean truly want it, you have to get in there and sell it to them that you are the best possible option for her."_

Shikamaru looked down the hall and toward the door that Hiruzen had just come out of. Inside there were men, men whom he had never before, men who didn't care a lick about him, or Anna, or Hiruzen or even Sarutobi. Men who this was just a job for. And there would be analyzing his every move, waiting to pick him apart so they could deem him even more inappropriate for Anna than he already was. It was a miracle that he had gotten this far.

_"My lawyer is in there, waiting for you. Talk to him, tell him why you want this so badly so he can figure out what is the best way to proceed. Then they want to speak with you privately. And by God, you better convince them before the next hearing tomorrow."_ And with that, Hiruzen gave Shikamaru a grim pat on the back and walked off.

Shikamaru then looked to Temari. She was right, he was never serious about anything, so why should he start now? He only had to remember Asuma's face, handsome even in youth, a cigarette protruding from his mouth and Kurenai, her stomach swollen and her face radiant for him to steel his resolve. He gave Temari a quick kiss on the lips and silently promised he would explain what it all meant later before he moved off down the hall alone.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States  
17:46 UTC_

Sakura wiped her hand on her jeans before reaching up and giving Naruto a quick peck on the cheek. Naruto barely acknowledged her as he was laughing at something that her mother was telling him. They had both been helping her mother prepare dinner, but since it looked as if Naruto and her mother could handle it, she was taking the opportunity to bow out.

Slipping from the kitchen, Sakura took a moment to reflect on just how well Naruto seemed to be getting along with her family. Sure, their initial meeting had been an utter and complete disaster, but somehow, Naruto had been able to perform a complete 180. Her mother now seemed to be his constant companion, now telling him instead of her what Mrs. Rothstein down the street had told her or what she had heard at the grocery store. And Naruto always seemed to reply with the right responses, making Sakura unsure if he was legitimately interested in what her mother was saying or he just knew how to respond. And even her father now seemed to at least tolerate Naruto, ever since they had both come back from hunting. Sakura had wondered what they had talked about and she had badgered Naruto about it, but he too was mysterious in his responses.

In the end, Sakura supposed that she had to be patient and wait for Naruto to tell her things on his own time.

Which caused Sakura's thoughts to turn dark as she thought about the dream she overheard Naruto having a couple of days ago.

Sakura entered the living room and found her father sitting on the sofa. Iron Chef America was on TV, but her father seemed to be paying little attention to it as he was reading the newspaper. Sakura plopped herself down on the sofa next to him. He spared her a look over the brim of his glasses before turning back to the paper. "Done with dinner?"

Sakura shrugged. "Naruto seems to have it covered."

"Hmph." Grunted her father, giving the briefest of smiles. When Sakura didn't respond, Mr. Haruno turned his attention back toward his daughter, his expression deepening. "Is something bothering you, Sakura-chan?"

It was his fondest pet name for her as a child. Hearing it again made her almost want to cry. "Do you trust Naruto?" She asked instead.

Mr. Haruno took note of the troubled expression written on her face, the deep sense of doubt and uncertainty in her eyes. "And why would you be asking me that question?" He said, finally responding. "Isn't it your trust that matters most?"

"He has my trust." Sakura responded, looking toward the TV but not seeing it. "Unconditionally. But sometimes I wonder if I have his."

If Mr. Haruno found this admission from Sakura strange, he did not voice it. Somehow, even when Sakura was a child, he could always sense what was at the heart of the matter. Kenji Haruno closed his eyes briefly. "Are you in trouble?"

Sakura turned to her father, eyes on the brink of swimming in tears. As if a dam had broken inside of her, she just couldn't handle it anymore. The fact that Naruto still didn't think her strong enough to bear the weight of any of his burdens, that he didn't trust her enough to confide in her, as well as the knowledge of the fact that he could leave her at any moment if he thought it necessary. But most of all, she hated the fact that she almost couldn't stop herself from crying about it. "Dad..." Her voice cracked.

Mr. Haruno turned, laying his newspaper on his lap as he hugged his daughter to his chest. She clutched tightly at his sweater as she bit back the tears that were suddenly threatening to consume her.

"Dinner is almost ready!" Mrs. Haruno called out from the kitchen, startling both Sakura and Mr. Haruno.

"Listen to me." Mr. Haruno said quickly, his voice rough. "Crying can do you no good do you understand me?"

Sakura tried to mutter an affirmation, but couldn't form the words to do so. Mrs. Haruno's footsteps, followed by Naruto's were echoing closer as they walked down the hallway.

"You're strong Sakura, you always have been." Mr. Haruno pulled away and held her by the shoulders. "And you may need to be strong still, remember that. That boy, Naruto, he's going to need it."

Mr. Haruno gave Sakura a quick kiss to the forehead before releasing her and picking his newspaper back up. He flicked it open just as Mrs. Haruno and Naruto came out, carrying a couple pots and pans filled with steaming food. Mrs. Haruno had insisted upon Naruto and Sakura's stay that they dine in the fancier of their two dining rooms, despite it being farther away from the kitchen.

"Dinner's ready." Mrs. Haruno announced, completely oblivious to Sakura and Mr. Haruno's exchange.

"Oh, already?" Mr. Haruno asked, looking up from his paper.

"Didn't you hear me?" Mrs. Haruno asked as she put the food on the table.

Mr. Haruno put his paper down and got up from the couch. Sakura remained where she was sitting, gathering her breath and her thoughts, feeling ever grateful that the tears had not fallen. Her father told her that she had to remain strong. He was right. Sakura's life had changed those many months ago, that day that Naruto Uzumaki had started a commotion on the plane bound for Paris and Sakura knew she couldn't get that old life back. Nor did she really want to. So from here on out, crying really wasn't going to do her any good. She had promised herself that she would prove herself, that night when she heard Naruto and she had almost lost sight of that strength. Her father had helped her to gain it again.

"Sakura, aren't you coming?" Naruto was standing behind her now. She could picture the cheerful smile that must have been on his face.

"Yeah." Said Sakura finally turning to face Naruto. "I'm starved."

If Naruto saw anything strange or different in the tone of Sakura's voice, or in the look of her eyes, he didn't say anything, but the look on his face, as he stood staring at the spot that Sakura had previously occupied seemed unsettled.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_19:56 UTC_

Hinata fumbled with her keys as she walked toward her car. She would tell Sasuke tonight. Yes, absolutely must tell Sasuke tonight. There was no way that she could possibly put it off any longer. The cold wind swept Hinata's long hair back and she squinted her eyes, bracing herself against it. It was...absolute insanity, she thought to herself. Sasuke was the father of the child growing inside of her. She had nothing to be afraid of in telling him. So why had she put it off for so long? The question baffled her for a moment as she stood outside her car, hand on the handle, keys in hand.

Why had she put it off for so long? Had it been that long? Hinata honestly couldn't remember her own reasoning for not telling Sasuke immediately. Maybe it had something to do with Asuma. Yes, that would make a lot of sense. Hinata pulled open the car door and slid inside. The cab of the car was only slightly warmer than it was outside so Hinata started the ignition and immediately turned up the heat.

Yes, she would tell Sasuke tonight.

Hinata shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the parking space. Hanabi had been calling her everyday since they had met for lunch, badgering and pestering her to see if she had told Sasuke and their father yet, like it was some terrible burden for her to hold. As if she had never kept a secret before. Hinata almost giggled at the idea.

_"It was always you who was never good at keeping secrets,_ mia figlia."

Hinata jumped at the sound of a second voice. Turning her head, Hinata was not quite prepared for who she saw. Hadn't the car been empty save for herself a few moments ago?

Her mother was there, sitting in the passengers seat. Her long dark hair was braided, just like Hinata remembered it always being and it was laying over her right shoulder. Her hands were neatly folded over her crossed legs. She had a dark grey jacket on, a soft pink scarf peeking through the lapels.

_"Mama?"_

Her mother turned to her and Hinata knew that this was no illusion, no dream. It was real.

Her mother blurred from her vision and there was a sickening crunching sound, like metal smashing into concrete.

* * *

_Dulles International Airport, Washington D.C, United States_  
_20:00 UTC_

Neji reasoned with himself that he was really in no hurry. He had taken the extra precaution to drive all the way to the aiport in Norfolk to ensure that just in case Anko was pressured to have someone follow him, it wouldn't be as obvious. And now, unfortunately, he was enduring the second hour of his three hour layover in Washington D.C. There were, much to Neji's dismay, no non-stop flights to Rome.

He had just gotten off the phone with Tenten, who had graciously tried to entertain him by giving him a full synopsis on what had happened during the last episode of Dexter, but Neji had reminded her that in this day and age, with technology accessible anywhere, he could probably watch the episode on is iPad and understand it better than with her trying to explain it to him.

Her disappointment hadn't lasted long as her next suggestion was that they could try having phone sex. Neji was too embarrassed to give a response. So instead he was lounging on one of the hard plastic seats in front of the boarded gate, pillow around his neck even though he knew he wouldn't be sleeping - not in those plastic chairs.

A tall man in casual jeans, Converse and a sweatshirt walked past him, setting a single carry-on down on a chair across from Neji.

"Hey, I'm gonna grab something from Starbucks, do you want anything?"

Slightly baffled by this stranger's remark, Neji lifted his head up to look at the stranger and was immediately confronted with someone whom he didn't like to see too often under strange circumstances.

The man known sometimes as Lee was standing before him, a seriousness in his dark eyes and a pair of iPod headphones around his neck.

"I could use a coffee actually." Neji responded smoothly after a beat. "Instead, I think I'll join you." He removed the pillow from around his neck and followed after Lee. If Neji needed anything after this encounter, it would have to be stronger than a coffee.

They didn't speak to each other until they reached the Starbucks, a couple of gates down from the gate Neji had been sitting in front of. Despite the late hour, Starbucks was as crowded as ever.

"Anko must have more clout than I thought, to get you sent over here." Neji muttered, letting the chattering crowd around them disguise their conversation.

"A few strings were pulled." Lee admitted. "But this was less by the book than usual."

Neji didn't allow himself much of a smile.

"If it wasn't for Tenten, I wouldn't be here."

The statement stopped Neji cold in his tracks. He had literally just gotten off the phone with her and hadn't sounded like anything less than normal was going on with her. Unless...

"Who was he?" Neji said through gritted teeth.

"We...aren't completely sure." Lee admitted. "He isn't talking, but it seems certain that you were the target."

Of course, Neji thought bitterly. It was always him. Anko had warned him, sure, but the larger, more pragmatic part of Neji's mind reminded him that even if he had listened to Anko and had stopped digging, they - whoever they were - wouldn't stop until he was dead...just to tie up loose ends. No, if anything, this told Neji that he was heading in the right direction. But it also gave him the anxious feeling that while they may not be able to find him at this precise moment, Tenten was still very much an available target.

"You need to get her out of there." Neji said quickly.

Lee shook his head. "If she runs, they'll only look for the both of you that much harder. She needs to stay where she is."

"Then I want - "

"Armed surveillance 24/7. Anko has already got you covered." Said Lee cutting him off. "No one will be taking a poke at Tenten anytime soon. And if they do, they'll be thrown in the cell with the first guy."

"I think he deserves something worse than a cell..." Neji muttered darkly, but Lee didn't grant him a response to that.

Lee took a cell phone out of his pocket and handed it discreetly to Neji. Neji took it and stuffed it in his jacket pocket. "That's an untraceable cell. Anko will use it to contact you if the guy says anything. Don't use it otherwise."

Neji nodded in response. He checked his watch. Still 45 minutes to go. Lee suddenly grasped Neji by the shoulder, and Neji turned to look at him, surprised. Usually, physical contact wasn't appropriate in situations like this. Someone could easily see them, but Neji decided to throw protocol to the wind this one time.

"Neji, I've known you for a long time." Lee said. "Ever since..."

"Gai." Said Neji, a wry smile crossing his face.

"Yeah." Said Lee, a similar smile crossing over his own. "And you know that I see you as a brother. So whatever you are doing," And at this point, Lee's usually cheerful face turned serious and grim, "Please be careful. I don't want to be attending your funeral."

And with that, Lee turned and walked off without a backwards glance.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_20:21 UTC_

_"I...don't like where this is going."_ Said Kakashi.

It was after hours, as usual so the office was blissfully quiet. It was also to their advantage that no wandering ears were present to be eavesdropping into their conversation. Sasuke had turned his swivel chair to face Kakashi who was sitting with his long legs propped up on Kakashi's desk.

_"Why not?"_ Sasuke asked solemnly. He supposed he could guess the answer to why. They were treading on dangerous ground.

Kakashi glanced over at Sasuke warily. _"We're looking for a murderer, Sasuke. And this..."_ He said, gesturing toward the computer screen where Sasuke had just finished showing Kakashi the footage from his interview with Asuma's elderly neighbor, _"This is not what that implies."_

_"All evidence pointed to Asuma killing Kurenai and then committing suicide."_ Said Sasuke calmly.

_"Then why are we even investigating?"_ Kakashi asked, almost angrily.

_"Because you know that, that's not true."_ Sasuke straightened himself up to look Kakashi in the eye. _"You knew Asuma as well I did...if not better. You know he wouldn't have done it if he had been of sound mind."_

Sasuke looked at Kakashi then, really looked at him, as if he were appraising him. He couldn't ignore the blantant nervousness that was visible in Kakashi's sole eye. _"What are you afraid of?"_

Kakashi stared back at Sasuke and then he began to laugh. A bitter, sort of cynical laugh that made Sasuke's expression deepen and caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. Kakashi got up, swinging his legs off of Sasuke's desk and took a took of steps, hands on his hips. _"I'm afraid...and afraid is rather a strong word, of being dragged into something of something so dark and deep that we can't ever get out again. I'm afraid of being buried next to Asuma before his killer...or whatever this thing is, is brought to justice."_

He stared at Sasuke, his dark eyes peering into Sasuke's own. _"I'm even more afraid of it happening to you."_

Sasuke had no response. He couldn't say he didn't feel the same way.

_"I asked you about the ITP."_ Continued Kakashi. _"You said they weren't connected, yet you ask me about Glaido. I felt relief when when I heard about the ITP, but now I am wondering if perhaps that relief was unfounded. Maybe whatever this is, whatever Asuma got himself into, is worse."_

_"If what this woman says is true,"_ Kakashi said, pointing at the screen again, _"This wasn't spontaneous. His paranoia had been evolving for some time. Someone was doing something to him and we need to figure out what that was."_

_"And it also makes me wonder..."_ Kakashi turned away from Sasuke. _"If there is a possibility that Asuma isn't the only one. How many other agents have died because of this. How many more will die because of this. We would be naive to assume that Asuma is the only one."_

Grave words indeed. The silence they caused was only punctuated by the sound of Sasuke's phone ringing. A small frown crossed his face as he looked at the number before answering.

* * *

**Random Fact:** Although proficient in automatic weapons, Tenten Hyuuga prefers to fight with a dagger.


	15. Chapter 15

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Same reviewing requests still apply. Thanks to Naruto4Sakura, anotheredguy and Nataweeeee

* * *

015: Dead and Gone  
_(I've been traveling on this road too long)_

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
3:52 UTC_

When Hinata awoke, she awoke to the sound of tranquil beeping coming from somewhere north of her head. Her vision was blurry for a moment, so she closed her eyes for a beat and tried opening them again. She found that her right eyelid opened easily, but her left eyelid felt like a ton of bricks was trying to keep it shut. There was a slight throbbing in her forehead, but Hinata found that she was too weak to try and feel along her forehead.

Hinata gave up and a small sigh escaped her lips. Her eyes closed again.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_5:23 UTC_

When Hinata's eyes opened again, she found that she had the strength this time to keep them open. Silence still echoed in her ears, except for the steady beeping sound.

_"Hinata, oh thank God!"_

Hinata turned her head slowly toward the sound of the voice. She found it difficult. _"Mama!"_

Now that Hinata could get a better glimpse of her, Hinata found that she was just as beautiful as she remembered her. A loosely woven braid of silky black hair hung over her shoulder and her delicate hands were placed on her knees. The coat and scarf Hinata had remembered her wearing the night before were slung over the back of her chair and Hinata now saw she was wearing a simple, yet elegant grey dress with a cream cardigan. It was as if the years had not aged her at all. Right now, however her face was marked with apprehension for her daughter's health.

Her mother placed her hand on the bed beside Hinata. Hinata tried to move her arm to reach for her, but a sharp pain raced through her arm, rooting her arm to the position it was in. _"Mama what happened?"_ Hinata whispered. Her voice was weak and her lip felt busted.

Hinata's mother shook her head, her eyes filled with worry. _"Everything happened so fast...I must have startled you. I went to get help as soon as I could."_

Hinata nodded her head slowly, accepting the explanation. She remained quiet for a moment, when she remembered something crucial. Her heart skipped a beat in its panic and her eyes began wide with fright which was rather difficult for her left eye. She turned to her mother again._ "Mama, my baby!"_ She whimpered.

Her mother nodded soothingly. _"He's ok, Hinata."_

Hinata turned back, letting her eyes close and breathing a sigh a relief. She let her heart return to its normal rate. She could feel sleep once again creeping over her. Her eyelids became more difficult to keep open. She tried not to fight it.

_"It's good that you weren't hurt, Mama. I can't lose you again."_ She murmured softly before she fell under again.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_8:15 UTC_

Sasuke woke up groaning, staring at a blank white wall. All in all, Sasuke couldn't say that it was one of the best ways wake up from a fitful night of sleep. Ignoring the loud crick his neck gave when he straightened it from being bent over the back of the chair, Sasuke looked around the hospital waiting room with sleep deprived eyes.

The morning news was playing on the flat screen TV in the corner. Currently, a female news reporter who happened to be very popular within Sasuke's workplace was learning how to make some sort of breakfast dish with a man who Sasuke assumed must have been the guest chef. Sasuke shook his head and pulled his eyes away from the TV and glanced down to his watch as his other hand massaged his sore neck. It was just past 8. Sasuke glanced around warily for a nurse or a doctor. Surely she must be awake or they had heard something by now...

Kakashi was sprawled on another chair across the room from him. His legs were completely stretched out and there was a woman's magazine open on his lap. Sasuke shook his head again and stood up, his legs a bit wobbly from being cramped most of the night.

Sasuke saw a woman in nurse scrubs approaching , small pony tail and a cup of steaming tea in her hands. Sasuke remembered seeing her man the front desk the previous night when he had burst in like a mad man. Her twelve-hour shift must not be up yet. He quickly walked to her. _"Excuse me, signora. I was wondering if there was any news on my wife."_

She gave him a small sympathetic smile. _"Let me check, Mr. Uchiha."_ She replied, leading him back to the desk. She placed her mug on the desk before sitting down and picking up the phone. Her phone call was brief. Sasuke turned away, drowning out her words. Sasuke had rushed to the hospital, Kakashi in tow as soon as he had received the phone call from the hospital. He had been so sick with worry, of not knowing what had happened that he almost threw up on several occasions. And he definitely wasn't the nicest person around last night as he snapped at more than one person, including the nurse before him. When they had learned they probably would be unable to see Hinata that night, Kakashi had tried persuading Sasuke to leave to get some sleep before and come back the next morning. Sasuke would have none of it, so they both had ended up sleeping in the waiting room.

The sound of the phone being hung up caused Sasuke to turn back around. The nurse gave him a warmer smile than before. _"She just woke up. The doctor is in to see her now. You are welcome to go back."_

Sasuke murmured a quick thank you and headed down the hall toward Hinata's room. He would let Kakashi sleep, God knew he needed it.

As Sasuke approached the room, he had the eerie feeling that something would go wrong. The doctor had been optimistic that Hinata would be fine, but suddenly Sasuke wasn't so sure. Sasuke approached the room with hesitant steps and finally poked his head into the room. The doctor turned as if he sensed his presence. He was a tall man with greying hair and glasses. He couldn't have been past 50 years old.

_"Ah, Mr. Uchiha."_ He said warmly. He gestured for Sasuke to follow him out into the hallway. Sasuke did so reluctantly, after casting a longing look over at Hinata. She gazed back at him, her expression a bit happier than he expected it to be. She nodded for him to go.

_"How is she, Doctore?"_ Sasuke questioned once he and the doctor were in the hallway, out of earshot from Hinata.

_"She's going to be just fine."_ The doctor nodded, smiling. _"The injury to her forehead isn't serious, but I would like to monitor it for a couple more days, just to be certain there won't be any brain damage."_

_"The damage to her left shoulder will heal nicely,"_ The doctor continued, _"As long as she doesn't apply herself or put any pressure on it. There will, however, be some sharp intense pain, especially in these upcoming days."_

_"Isn't there something that you can give her for the pain?"_ Sasuke suggested, eyebrows creasing. _"Morphine, or perhaps something less strong...?"_

_"Normally we would."_ The Doctor responded. _"But in your wife's case, with such an advanced stage of pregnancy, I would advise against any strong drugs that may impair the baby's development. It is a miracle that nothing more serious happened to the womb during the accident."_

Sasuke didn't respond.

He was looking at the doctor, but not really seeing him. He honestly hadn't heard a word past the word 'pregnancy'.

_"We will continue to monitor the baby's condition as well and supplement your wife with prenatal vitamins. It also looks like you will need to schedule an ultrasound too..."_

Had Hinata been pregnant this whole time? Why hadn't she told Sasuke? Was there some...deep dark secret as to why she hadn't told him yet? Didn't he deserve to know?

Sasuke let the questions swarm through his head, but he looked up toward the doctor, murmured a quick thanks and then asked if he would be allowed to visit with Hinata now. When the doctor nodded yes and walked away, Sasuke walked in, unsure of what his first question should be.

_"Sasuke."_ Said Hinata smiling, her voice soft as Sasuke took a seat beside her bed. He saw the fingers of her injured arm reach for him and he quickly grasped her hand before she could try and move her arm. Her skin felt soft against his and Sasuke realized it had been a long time since he last touched her.

_"Hinata what happened?"_ He asked. He would leave the difficult questions for later, once he was sure she was ok. She couldn't possibly be pregnant...could she?

Oddly enough, Hinata's face lit up and she smiled serenely - the exact opposite of how Sasuke thought she should be reacting. _"Oh Sasuke, it's the most amazing thing. My mother Sasuke, she's alive. All these years, we thought her dead, but it's not true!"_ Hinata tried to get up, her eyes shining and Sasuke gently rested a hand on her shoulder, silently urging her not to try and get up. Inside, that dreaded feeling was creeping over him again.

_"I don't know how it's possible Sasuke, I really don't but you must believe me. She was in my car yesterday and well...I suppose she startled me and that's why I crashed. It was honestly all just an accident, but can you believe that Sasuke? My mother is alive!"_ At this, Hinata let out a laugh, a high girlish laugh that Sasuke had never heard from her. Could the doctor have been wrong? That perhaps there was some brain damage and they just hadn't detected it yet?

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond but then closed it. How could he respond? What could he say without hurting Hinata's feelings? Or was she actually telling the truth? It seemed like things were rapidly spinning out of Sasuke's control and it was a feeling he didn't like. He itched to get up but he forced himself to remain sitting, holding Hinata's hand. What was going on?

_"I know Sasuke."_ Hinata said, her voice serious and sounding a bit more like her old self. _"This sounds like madness. But I'm telling you that it's the truth."_ Her grip on his hand suddenly became like iron.

_"She came to visit me today, before you came. Oh, when she comes back, you'll see that I'm telling the truth! Wait till Hanabi and father hear about this miraculous news!"_ Hinata shrilled, her eyes lighting up again.

_"She was here to see you?"_ Sasuke asked hesitantly. One question at a time, the simple ones first. _"And you said she was in the car with you last night? Where did she go? How come she wasn't injured as well?"_

Hinata got a far away look in her eye. _"She was the one who called for help."_

Sasuke's expression was becoming more and more distressed every time Hinata opened her mouth. It was an Interpol agent who had presumably found Hinata and called for an ambulance. He had stayed with Hinata until the ambulance had come and had exchanged a few words with Sasuke at the hospital before leaving. And he certainly looked nothing like the supposedly alive Hyuuga matriarch.

Hinata seemed to sense his distrust as suddenly, she pried her hand from his grasp. Her expression changed as she eyed him uncharacteristic suspicion and anger. _"You don't believe me."_

_"It's not that."_ Said Sasuke as soothingly as he could manage. _"It's just a little incredulous, your mother being alive after all these years. Where has she been? Why hasn't she bothered to see you until now?"_

_"I don't know...it doesn't matter."_ Hinata said, staring down at the white sheet covering her lower body with wide eyes. _"She's here now. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter..."_

The sea of despair was rising now and Sasuke felt like he would soon drown in it.

Hinata's head snapped up quickly, the wild expression gone from her eyes. _"Mama!"_

* * *

Maybe he should have seen the signs. He could see them clearly now...all too clearly and it was a little disconcerting. How had he let it go on for so long? Had he let Asuma's case consume him entirely? Yes he had and he could see now that it was a regret that he would have for the rest of his life.

She had been sleeping in lately. Hinata had always been an early riser. But that was easy to overlook. It wasn't a game-changer and Sasuke couldn't bite off his own head for overlooking that one.

She had been looking dazed and confused lately. He had sometimes seen her murmuring to herself, reminding herself of the task at hand. Yes...that was a little strange because Hinata always had a sharp mind, even if others didn't see it. He supposed her quiet and reserved nature often hid that fact from other people.

She had been thrashing around, murmuring things in her sleep a little too often. Were they nightmares...Sasuke couldn't say for sure.

The incident in the parking lot a few weeks ago. That really should have opened Sasuke's eyes but he had been stressed, stressed about Asuma's case and perhaps he thought Hinata was a little bit stressed too. Yet he should have known, he thought bitterly, at least known that something had been off.

He was under now, the sea of despair had swallowed him whole. He didn't think he would be resurfacing anytime soon.

* * *

There was no one there.

But Hinata seemed so sure, so positive, that she was actually seeing someone there. _"Mama,"_ She said, _"Come meet my husband Sasuke! Surely you must remember the Uchiha family."_

There was _no one there_.

Sasuke couldn't find the words to tell her that her mother wasn't there, that there was no one else in the room beside himself and Hinata. That surely she must have been seeing things. Sasuke couldn't find the words, his mind wouldn't help him form them and his heart wouldn't let him quite believe what he was seeing.

Hinata was looking at Sasuke now, but she was looking at him so eagerly and so warm-heartedly, Sasuke didn't know what to do.

_"Sasuke...?"_ She said when he didn't respond, her expression slowly deepening.

His dumbfounded expression must have confused her, or at least let her know that something wasn't _right_, but Sasuke didn't know how to change it. Exactly what expression would be appropriate in this situation?

Hinata was saying something now, but she wasn't speaking to him. Sasuke's heart began to thunder in his chest. Fear was welling up inside of him and he had no way of releasing it. He had an overwhelming need to try and call for help, but he kept his mouth shut because he didn't want to spook Hinata.

_Sasuke? Is something wrong?"_ Hinata was looking at him again, but the strange expression was in her eyes again, almost as if she had a way of sensing the fact that he feared she was losing her mind.

He had to say something, he _needed_ to say something, but he didn't know what kind of precarious place her mind was in right now and anything that pushed her over would only shatter his own fragile state of mind. He took a nervous gulp and realized his hands were shaking. He quickly shoved them in his pockets and willed himself to find his words.

_"Hinata,"_ He managed, _"Is your mother here right now?"_

Hinata narrowed her eyes. _"Well don't be silly Sasuke. She's standing right here."_ But that tone of voice was not Hinata's own. It sounded untrusting and suspicious.

Sasuke shook his head slowly. He wasn't a very religious man, but Sasuke found himself silently praying that this went ok. _"Hinata darling,"_ Sasuke grasped her hand and the touch of her skin calmed him a fraction and gave him the courage to go on. _"I don't know how to tell you this..."_

_"Tell me what?"_ Hinata snapped and Sasuke faltered. 'This isn't her' he told himself fretfully.

_"There's no one in the room besides us. Hinata...your mother isn't here."_ He finished softly.

Hinata's head quickly snapped to the place where she had been looking before and then back to Sasuke. She ripped her hand away from him and then cried out as pain shot up her shoulder.

_"Hinata!"_ Sasuke cried, alarmed as he shot up out of his chair, hands poised to help Hinata.

_"No!"_ Hinata screamed, her right hand holding onto her left shoulder as she leaned away from him. _"Don't touch me! You're a liar! My mother here! Right here with me!"_

_"Your mother has been dead for years!"_ Sasuke said forcefully, finally finding his voice._ "Please try to believe me! You're seeing things Hinata! You're not well!"_ He put what was supposed to be a calming hand on her forehead. His heart was beating harder now and he acutely realized that he was scared.

_"NO!"_ Hinata shrieked. She pushed Sasuke's arm away and began to thrash in bed, as if she was trying to get away from Sasuke, simultaneously yelling in pain as she disturbed her injured shoulder.

_"My mother is alive!"_ She screamed frantically. _"You fucking liar, Sasuke! Why are you trying to trick me?"_

_"Hinata!"_ Sasuke called as he tried to restrain her movements so that she wouldn't hurt herself even more. The beeping on her heart monitor was skyrocketing.

_"NO NO NO!"_ Hinata screamed as she continued to thrash. _"GET AWAY FROM ME! I don't trust you! Mama! MAMA HELP ME!"_

_"Doctore!"_ Sasuke yelled, desperately as he backed away. Hinata's doctor and a couple of nurses burst in, the doctor shouted orders to the nurses in rapid Italian as they all tried to subdue Hinata who was growing more violent by the minute. More people surged into the room and Sasuke backed into the wall, staring with wide eyed horror at the scene before him.

_"Sedate her!"_ The doctor yelled urgently.

Sasuke watched as a nurse rushed in, plunging a syringe with clear liquid into Hinata's IV tube.

_"Hinata!"_ Sasuke called again, but she didn't hear him. She didn't hear the sound of his heartbreaking.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_10:02 UTC_

When Sakura burst through the door and the phone rang, she didn't think anything of it. Her heart was still racing from her mid morning jog and Sakura remembered what it felt like it be young, fit and healthy. Sakura had stopped jogging seriously during one of her many years of med school - she couldn't exactly remember why but she felt enthralled by doing it again.

Her mother answered the phone and Naruto appeared from her father's study, grinning his usual grin. Her father wasn't home as he was off at work, so Sakura supposed Naruto had just been borrowing his computer. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek when her mother appeared from the kitchen, her expression a bit perplexed.

Sakura watched as her mother handed the phone to Naruto. "It's for you." She said.

Naruto glanced at Sakura, his smile fading as he took the phone from her mother. Hesitantly, he put it to his ear. "Hello?"

Naruto expression further changed and Sakura could hear the low buzz of the other person speaking. "Who is it?" Sakura asked him anxiously.

Her mother had walked away by then, respectfully giving Naruto some privacy. Sakura tugged on Naruto's arm when he didn't respond. Finally, he looked at her.

'Sasuke' He mouthed.

* * *

Random Fact: Naruto Uzumaki was first introduced to ramen was he was in Japan, pulling off the famous heist that earned him the nickname 'Kyuubi'.


	16. Chapter 16

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Same reviewing requests still apply. Thanks to Naruto4Sakura, anotheredguy and Joele

* * *

016: There'll be Trouble  
_(They say nothing, deny everything)_

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
9:09 UTC_

_"We don't know what's wrong with your wife, Mr. Uchiha."_

The doctor's tone was blunt and apologetic yet Sasuke could sense the doctors feeling of frustration and weariness as he made himself comfortable in the seat across from the doctor. The doctor folded his practiced hands before him. There was an apologetic look in his eyes beneath his glasses.

Sasuke mood nor expression had changed with the doctor's revelation. At this point, nothing the doctor could say would really surprise Sasuke after what he had witnessed earlier that morning. Nor could he really feel anything. Disappointment that there wasn't a diagnosis for his wife's condition? Fear that she wouldn't be able to get better? Sasuke was past all that. All could he feel was a blank emptiness inside of him.

The doctor shook his head and continued speaking, as if he needed to justify himself to Sasuke. _"The advanced stage of her...condition seems to predate the accident by a long shot. Even if there had been some brain damage or abnormalities detected - which there hadn't been,"_ The doctor quickly stated, _"It wouldn't have progressed so fast as to result in what happened this morning."_

_"How long do you think this could have been going on then?"_ Sasuke asked tonelessly.

The doctor sighed. _"It's hard to say with any amount of accuracy. Weeks perhaps, maybe even months. Tell me, Mr. Uchiha, have you noticed strange behavior within Hinata in that time?"_

Sasuke didn't know if he had the strength within him to recall his earlier revelation into Hinata's strange behavior. Somehow, those things didn't seem all that important in the greater scheme of saving Hinata. He gave the smallest of shrugs and tried to seem frustrated and put out, which honestly wasn't hard for him at this point.

The doctor seemed dismayed. _"Well, I have requested your wife's medical files from her personal doctor, so I'll see if those can shed any light into her situation."_ He didn't sound very optimistic to Sasuke.

_"In the meantime,"_ The doctor began, as if he were approaching a delicate situation, _"We should probably discuss what will become of your wife now."_

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _"What do you mean?"_

_"With her condition right now,"_ The doctor explained, _"It wouldn't be in her best interests to return home. She needs a safe, stress-free environment where we can closely monitor her behavior and make sure that she does not try to harm herself or her child. If an incident like the one that occurred earlier should happen again, it could be very dangerous."_

_"A mental health institution may be the best place for her right now where doctors with experience in this matter can conduct around the clock studies so that we may get to the bottom of her condition."_

Sasuke listened without interrupting, but he felt his heart steadily sinking within his chest. _"Are you suggesting that I admit my wife to an asylum?"_

The doctor opened his mouth and then closed it. _"That...that would be correct, Mr. Uchiha."_ Said the doctor after a moment of silence.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_10: 19 UTC_

It wasn't that Rome wasn't a beautiful city, but Neji supposed that maybe he now felt that beauty was somehow tainted by his family's less than cordial attitude toward him. Every time he returned to the city of his birth, he left it with a headache and a heavy heart.

He hoped that this time would be different.

It was the weekend, so the crowded streets of Rome were even more crowded with the residents off doing errands they couldn't attend to during the week, with families taking their children off to see the sights and even the odd tour bus taking foreign vacationers off to see such popular amusements like the Colosseum and the Vatican. Despite the winter weather, the sky was blue and the sun was shining so it was a pleasant enough day to be out and about.

The marketplaces were crowded as well, especially since Christmas was rapidly approaching. Two hours and one migraine later, Neji finally pulled up to Hiruzen Sarutobi's elegant yet modest villa. It was small, compared to the Hyuuga family estate that was just outside Rome, not far from the Uchiha's, but Neji liked it. It was unassuming and it lacked the grandeur that anything Hyuuga related often had.

As Neji approached the door, he could see the things that one couldn't see from a distance - how the paint was peeling from the doorway, the chipping plaster on the walls, how the ivy that covering the walls were threatening to consume the entire house. As Neji contemplated these things, he wondering what awaited him inside.

Hesitantly, Neji put his first to the door and knocked. At first, Neji thought that maybe he was unlucky enough to come at a time when the old man wasn't home. He couldn't hear anything inside the house - no footsteps or anything indicating that someone was still coming to the door. Testing his luck, Neji decided to knock again, louder this time.

The door swung open almost immediately, prompting Neji to take a surprise step back, his fist still partially raised in the hair. A spiky-haired youth stood in the doorway, his dark eyes distrusting.

_"I remember you."_ He said.

Konohamaru had grown since Neji had last seen him. He had been a youth of only twelve when Neji had escorted him as well as twenty other kids out of the ITP headquarters. It had only been a few months since then, but Konohamaru looked years older than he should have. He was taller by at least a few inches and he had gained both weight and muscle mass - a sign that he was being well fed in his new home. His brown hair was cut shorter than last time, but still styled in a similar way. He had seemed scared back then, when Neji had brought him to meet with Hiruzen in the CIA field house in Rome. He was a confident kid, Neji remembered that much. But now, he seemed withdrawn, distrusting and sullen.

_"Konohamaru, how...how are you?"_ Neji asked. For some reason, it sounded lame to be asking a former child assassin how he was doing.

Konohamaru, however, didn't bother to even answer. _"What are you doing here? Don't you live in America?"_

Neji noticed one arm was posed behind his back. _"I do. But I was hoping to speak with your grandfather."_

Just then, Hiruzen's voice was heard through the doorway. _"Konohamaru? Who's at the door?"_

Konohamaru glanced back at the sound of his grandfather's voice and then sighed as he turned back to Neji. His hand dropped from his back and Neji saw that he was holding a large butcher's knife. He gestured with his head for Neji to follow him inside.

Neji could only describe the inside of Hiruzen's house as orderly chaos. Books and papers littered every inch of spare space inside the house. Neji absentmindedly wondered if they had a maid. Konohamaru lead Neji into what must have been a once spacious study. Now, it was crammed to its limit with books, papers, maps and diagrams just like the rest of it was. Hiruzen was sitting at a desk near the window filling out paperwork. Warm sunlight filtered in from the window. Hiruzen took off a pair of glasses as Konohamaru and Neji approached.

_"A Hyuuga."_ Said Hiruzen with what might have been disdain. _"The outcast one. What brings you to my doorstep?"_

Neji grit his teeth and forced himself to stick out his hand. _"Mr. Sarutobi."_ He said formally. _"Neji Hyuuga. I was hoping to speak with you about some delicate matters."_

_"All matters concerning me are delicate these days."_ Said Hiruzen getting up. _"Sorry about the outcast comment."_ He said as he lead them from the study into a more comfortable sitting room, Konohamaru sullenly trailing behind. _"There are too many of you Hyuuga's these days. It's the only way I can keep track of you all. Just like the Uchiha's..."_ He muttered.

He gestured for Neji to take his pick of well worn, yet comfortable armchairs while Hiruzen himself seated himself in the largest. Konohamaru sat himself on the arm of another and pulled his phone out. Neji wasn't sure if he was texting someone or playing a game.

_"So, what brings you here?"_

Neji took a glance around the room before answering. _"Your son."_

Hiruzen gave a good-natured snort. _"A bit far to travel for condolences. But I appreciate the gesture anyway."_

Neji's eyes narrowed as he wondered if he had been too preoccupied with other means to follow up on current events. He stored that piece of information for later. _"Actually, this concerns your other son."_

The sound of Konohamaru dropping his phone on the wooden floor could be heard. Both Hiruzen and Neji turned as he quickly scooped it up from the floor. His look was unsettled as he looked back to Hiruzen.

_"Why don't you go play with your friends?"_ Hiruzen finally said. He gave his grandson a reassuring nod.

_"I'll just go out back."_ Said Konohamaru finally as he stood and shoved his phone in his pocket. He gave his grandfather a glance before he left the room.

Silence permeated the air between them as the back door slammed shut from Konohamaru's departure.

_"You better have a good reason for digging up old ghosts like that."_ Hiruzen finally said.

Neji hoped that he did too but he chose not to voice that thought._ "Why was Interpol never involved in the ITP case?"_ Neji chose to ask instead.

_"The cases were never contained on just Italian soil,"_ Neji continued when Hiruzen didn't answer. _"In fact, there are several cases that come to mind that happened abroad. So why would you choose to neglect such an important case?"_

Hiruzen scratched at the beard covering his chin. He appraised Neji with eyes that were cunning and intelligent, the kind of eyes that one would assume the President of Interpol should have. _"ITP is dead. You saw to that yourself, and perhaps I should thank you for it."_ He finally said. _"What use is there questioning such things now?"_

A brief, wry smile crossed Neji's face._ "You don't really believe that, do you?"_

A smile crossed Hiruzen's face in turn, but it was grim. He stood up. _"No, I don't suppose I do. Coffee? Or maybe something stronger, if this conversation is going to go where I think it is."_

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_9:25 UTC_

Sasuke spent a few minutes in the hospital hallway, leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. He was composing himself, but to the rest of the world, he looked like a man who had lost everything he had ever loved and didn't know what to do with himself. He supposed that wasn't too far off from the truth. The only thing that was different, however, was that he did have a plan. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.

Kakashi was waiting for him when he emerged in the lobby. Kakashi's face was always a mask, but this time even Sasuke could see the sorrow and sympathy written on his face. Sasuke didn't stop and Kakashi fell into step beside him.

_"Are you ok, Sasuke?"_ His voice implied that he knew the answer.

_"No."_ Sasuke replied anyway, _"But we have work to do."_

They drove back to the office in silence as Sasuke contemplated his next move. Kakashi had made a futile and rather half-hearted attempt to convince Sasuke to go home and get some sleep, but they had both known what his answer would be. Hinata was safe now - that is what Sasuke would repeatedly tell himself. No one could harm her at the hospital anymore than she could harm herself. He would find a way to reverse whatever it was that happened to her. That would be his motivation.

_"It''s peculiar isn't it, the way close friends have suddenly been losing their minds."_ Said Sasuke suddenly.

Kakashi spared a look at Sasuke as he turned the wheel. _"Peculiar? Maybe. I would call it a goddamn awful coincidence. But something tells me you don't think it's a coincidence at all."_

_"No."_ Said Sasuke, _"I don't. I think that someone is trying very hard to silence anybody that gets to close. What that something is, or who that someone is, I don't know."_ Sasuke's voice was strangely calm.

Kakashi kept his eyes on the road, but he seemed to be thinking about something serious as his brow creased. _"Hinata was investigated financial inconsistencies. It was the least problematic, least threatening case I could think to assign her."_ Kakashi took his hand off the wheel and rubbed his forehead. _"Fucking Christ Almighty, this is my fault isn't it?"_

Sasuke looked at Kakashi, but somehow, he just didn't have the strength to say the words that Kakashi needed to hear. He seemed only capable of focusing and working on one thing. _"It's Glaido."_ He said finally.

Kakashi's hands gripped tighter on the steering wheel. _"Don't say that."_ He said firmly. _"It's ridiculous. Glaido ended thirty years ago, how can that possibly have any bearing on Hinata...or Asuma's current situation?"_

Sasuke didn't have the answer to that question, but he had a strong hunch. So he gripped tightly onto the idea of Operation Glaido, of NATO, of financial inconsistencies in the government, of someone powerful enough to be making sane people go crazy. He gripped tightly to the idea that he would end him, whoever he was. It was the only thing that could keep him going.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_10: 39 UTC_

Neji let the hot water run through his coffee mug as he stood at the sink, contemplating things. The Sarutobi kitchen was small compared to the other rooms in the house and small by kitchen standards. Even the kitchen, however, was not spared being littered with books and papers although they were at least limited to the small wooden table that was leaned against the opposite wall. A spare cereal bowl had been left on the table, as well as an empty box of Dunkin Donuts that looked at least a few weeks old. Sunlight filtered in strongly through the window, illuminating the dust in the air. Neji noticed that dust was heavy in the house and was probably the reason for Hiruzen's coughing attack only a few minutes ago.

It had become apparent to Neji that the Sarutobi's were still reeling from the death of Hiruzen's youngest son Asuma. Neji had been able to piece together as much from Hiruzen's comments as well as observing the state of the Sarutobi house, but he decided he would think more about it later once he was in the privacy of his own hotel room. Internet access should serve his purposes well enough, but Neji experimented with the idea of giving his cousin Hinata a call. He knew that Asuma had been an Interpol agent and she would probably be able to divulge a bit more information than the internet could. Neji hadn't spoken to Hinata in a while, mostly because he had wanted to give Hinata space now that she was married. But if he was really being honest with himself, it was because of his less than cordial relationship with her husband.

Neji sighed and turned off the water. After his talk with Hiruzen, some of the puzzle pieces were starting to fall into place, but not enough for him to see the entire picture clearly. Neji glanced up toward the small window over the sink when a faded picture caught his eye. Prying the picture from its place, Neji walked back to the sitting room.

Hiruzen was staring at the coffee in his coffee mug, which had been liberally doused with a couple spoonfuls of brandy. He seemed weary after their discussion, as if the past were now catching up with him. Neji held up the picture. _"You knew Minato Namikaze?"_

Hiruzen glanced up, perhaps a bit surprised by Neji words. He looked at the picture and a grim smile crossed his face. _"Another old ghost."_

The picture was faded, from both time and overexposure to the sun, yet Neji could still make out the figures of both Hiruzen, who seemed years younger and much happier and lighthearted than the Hiruzen who sat looking at him now, and a man who Neji recognized from the file he had complied for Naruto. Both were smiling, their arms around each other.

Neji bit his lip. It seemed that maybe another puzzle piece was falling into place. _"Mr. Sarutobi, Senator Namikaze died in a car accident, right?"_

Hiruzen seemed confused at this new found round of questioning, but nodded his head yes. _"I was with Kushina when she went to identify the body..."_ Hiruzen trailed off, as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

_"And his wife?"_ Neji asked. Neji had known as much about Naruto's father after creating the file to give to Naruto, but there had strangely enough been nothing on the fate of his mother.

Hiruzen shook his head sadly. _"The poor girl. She died not long after Minato, she was so depressed after his death that she turned to drugs. In fact, Naruto was thought to be dead as well. It wasn't until I saw him that day that I believed otherwise..."_

Nothing that Hiruzen had said was in any way strange, but for some reason, something wasn't quite adding up for Neji. He knew that the ITP were notorious for picking up stray children off the streets or picking them up from orphanage as they had Naruto. And it wasn't so hard to believe that Naruto had been found on the streets and put in an orphanage before the ITP got him. But Neji felt like he was missing the bigger picture.

_"And that boy was a dead ringer for Minato, even at eleven years old..."_ Hiruzen was rambling now, his eyes lost somewhere in the past. _"I never knew that he was part of the ITP, he would never tell me. But I did what I could to help him, like I did his father..."_

Neji was only half listening to Hiruzen. Instead, he was thinking about strange coincidences, about the strange connection that seemed to revolve around Naruto, his parents, Hiruzen, his dead son and Konohamaru.

_"Mr. Sarutobi,"_ Said Neji, breaking Hiruzen out of his incoherent ramblings of the past as he knelt before him. _"If what you told me is true, about the threats, about them killing your son and your daughter-in-law, about them taking Konohamaru as leverage, then do you think it would have been possible for them to do the same thing to Minato Namikaze?"_

Hiruzen's eyes were sharp as he looked at Neji, as if some new revelation had just dawned on him. _"Looking at it now, I wouldn't put it past them. They threatened me because I threatened exposure and they made good on that promise. If you are looking for answers, then maybe you need to look into what Minato had on them."_

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_10:15 UTC_

"But I don't understand, why was Sasuke calling _you_ of all people? You _hate_ each other!"

Sakura was standing with her arms crossed, leaning against the doorway as Naruto stuffed whatever clothes he had left into the black backpack he had brought from Morocco. Naruto paused in his task. Sakura did have a point. It had been mutual hate between him and Sasuke since before they had even met each other face to face. Both Sasuke and Kakashi Hatake had both been gracious enough to let Naruto off the hook for being the Kyuubi, but that hardly meant they were friends now. It only told Naruto that Sasuke must have been in some deep, terrible shit for him to even _resort_ to calling Naruto and asking him for help.

It didn't exactly fill Naruto with confidence and God only knew that Naruto had his own problems currently. But there had been...something indescribable in Sasuke's voice when Naruto spoke to him. Normally, Sasuke sounded either cocky, arrogant or angry when he spoke to Naruto. This time, none of those emotions had been present. Sasuke sounded...empty. Naruto had to admit he was curious as to what was going on with Sasuke. And it was that perverse curiosity that was driving him to fly from Michigan back to Rome the following morning.

A deeper part of Naruto's conscious thought that maybe Sakura would be safer here without him. And that maybe if Naruto could help Sasuke with his problem, maybe he would be willing to help Naruto with his. Of course Interpol had been mysteriously absent from the ITP case before, something that Naruto had never thought before but now found oddly strange.

Naruto shook his head and resumed packing. "I...I don't know Sakura. But it can't hurt to hear him out."

Sakura frowned as if she could see right through him. She knew that there must have been another reason. "Then I'll go with you." She said experimentally.

"No." Said Naruto quickly. Sakura raised an eyebrow when Naruto turned to stare at her. "It...it didn't exactly sound safe." He said quickly.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "In case you forgot, Naruto, nowhere these days is _safe_ for us. Whether I stay here or go with you, it shouldn't make a difference."

"Yes..." Naruto allowed slowly, "But at least here, you'll be with your father who would probably risk his life to protect you and the possibility of only one...if _any_ possible assassins coming to get you. I don't know exactly what kind of shit Sasuke got himself into, he didn't say. _I_ would feel better if you stayed here."

Sakura uncrossed her arms and sighed. Naruto did have a point, as he often did. "So you are leaving me, like you said you would."

Naruto frowned. "I'm not _leaving_ leaving. I'm just...going to hear a friend out. And it just so happens you might be safer here without me."

"Ok fine." Sakura allowed as she stepped farther into the room. "I'll let you go on this...trip, I won't fight you on it or argue with it about it. But you need to promise me something." Sakura said as she walked up to him.

"Ok, fine, sure." Said Naruto as he zipped up his backpack and turned to Sakura. "What?"

"The truth." Said Sakura, her green eyes staring directly into his blue ones.

Naruto gave a confused smile. "But I have been truthful with you Sakura, ever since-"

"Bull shit." Said Sakura, cutting him off with a lethal glare in her eye. Naruto stopped, his mouth open and he gave Sakura a look that said he didn't completely understand.

"I've been waiting for you," Sakura sighed as she turned to close the door, "For you to finally be truly and completely honest with me. But it's like you don't trust _me_."

Naruto sat down looking confused. "Sakura, that's ridiculous. I've been nothing but completely honest with you ever since we got here." But his voice sounded a tad guilty, as if he knew what she was referring to. He looked away from her.

Sakura looked at him and Naruto could instantly see that she was hurt. He wondered what on earth she had overheard or how she had found out. "I...I only want to help you Naruto." Said Sakura, her voice unguarded. "But it seems like you're more concerned about my safety than treating me as someone who is your equal."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest, but Sakura held her hand up to silence him. "I trust you, Naruto, with my whole heart and I only want you to do the same with me. So go, help Sasuke do whatever it is he needs to do. And then maybe, when you come back, you'll finally trust me enough to be honest with me and to _stop_ treating me like I'm going to break at any sign of danger!"

Her eyes were blazing as she gave him a pointed look before leaving the room.

* * *

**Random Fact:** As previously stated in Hit the Floor Running, Naruto had a credit card in Hiruzen Sarutobi's name.


	17. Chapter 17

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Shameless self promotion for my other story **Behind the Mask. **But if not...reviews here would be lovely as well. I know this chapter is reallllllllly late. I sincerely apologize

* * *

017: Man Down  
_(Can't get it off my mind, I need to get out of sight)_

* * *

_Naples, Italy  
13:09 UTC_

_5 Missed Calls_  
_1 New Text Message_

The 5 missed calls were no doubt from Kakashi wondering where the hell he was and probably praying to every god out there that Sasuke wasn't landing himself in shit any deeper than he already was.

Well, Kakashi could rest easy since Sasuke was currently doing nothing more than sipping on a coffee. Not intending on calling his paranoid (yet rightfully so) supervisor back, Sasuke opened the text message instead.

_Unknown Number_

_Hey bastard. Wut was the name of the café again? See ya soon_  
_xoxo naruto_

Sasuke's nose twitched in annoyance as he quickly texted the name of the café they were supposed to meet at. He hoped he hadn't made a grave mistake in turning to Naruto in his dire moment of need.

The truth was, even Kakashi was unaware that Sasuke had made such a drastic move in involving his personal enemy in his affair. But when Sasuke had returned back to the house he and Hinata shared, alone, Sasuke realized that he was now scraping the bottom of the pit. He was deathly afraid that Hinata was going to end up like Asuma and he knew that if he didn't solve this, if he didn't do _something_, he would blame himself for the rest of his life. And knowing the consequences, Sasuke didn't know if he had the _right_ to involve anyone else, especially if the penalty could very well be death. It was bad enough Kakashi was already involved.

That being said, Sasuke knew that he literally had no one else to turn to and he knew that he needed help. So in one of his darkest moments, he found himself turning to the one person he never thought he would turn to. He wasn't even sure why the blond-haired thief agreed to even hear him out, but Sasuke supposed he should be grateful.

Naples wasn't exactly a short distance from Rome and it may not have been necessarily safer either, but Sasuke knew that he needed to get out of the city.

He knew that he needed to start watching his back.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_13:39 UTC_

Hinata was sitting outside on a wooden bench, letting the afternoon sun warm her face. In one of her more lucid moments, she recalled the doctor explaining to her that they wanted to hold her at the hospital, to make sure that the accident wouldn't cause any lasting damage to her and the baby.

Hinata put a slender hand over her stomach. The gardens were lovely this time of year, filled with hues of yellow, orange and red. She wished that she could share the moment with Sasuke. She wanted to tell him about their baby. But she hadn't seen Sasuke since a couple of days ago, she couldn't be sure how many. She missed him terribly, yet, she felt so betrayed by him. Her mother explained that Sasuke was simply in shock and that it was natural reaction from him. She told Hinata not to lose hope, that he would eventually come around.

Hinata looked around. The windy was chilly, yet the colors were so lovely. But for a moment, a red-hot fear spread quickly through her body. She stood up quickly, but almost lost her balance. A man in a blue shirt quickly rushed to her aid, helping her to regain her balance. Hinata quickly pulled her hands away from the man.

_"W-Where am I? How did I get here?"_

The man's face for a moment expression confusion but then softened. _"You're in the gardens, Mrs. Uchiha. The doctor said it would be good for you to get fresh air while they prepare your new room."_

Hinata looked around. The gardens? Yes they were lovely but she didn't remember the doctor saying that...she didn't remember coming out here.

_"I...I want my cell phone. I n-need to call my h-husband."_ Said Hinata.

_"I'm afraid your personal belongings were given to your father and sister."_ Said the man. _"But, the doctor may let you use the phone after your medication."_

Hinata was growing increasingly dissatisfied with the conversation. Her personal belongings given to her sister? What right did they have? How long did they expect to keep her here? There was nothing wrong with her! Her mother explained it was just a precaution, so then why did they act like they were keeping her here?

_"I think we should go back inside now, Mrs. Uchiha."_

Hinata let herself be guided by the man with blue pants and blue shirt back inside the hospital. She let him hold onto her arm as sometimes walking seemed difficult. The walk back to the room seemed farther than she remembered. When the man opened the door for her, she saw Sasuke sitting on her hospital bed. Sitting next to him was her mother.

Suddenly flooded with happiness, tears rushed to Hinata's eyes and she broke away from the man, flinging herself into Sasuke's arms, not being mindful of the baby at all.

The man with the blue shirt touched her arm. The wind caressed Hinata's face and she tucked a loose strand behind her ear. The colors were almost too much, but they were disrupted by a man in green jogging toward them. _"_Doctore _Zito wants Mrs. Uchiha back inside. Her room is ready. "_

The man in blue nodded and then urged Hinata along. She moved with him, numbly. She did this already, yet she was doing it again. Another man in green opened the door for them when they passed. Hinata looked into his eyes. He seemed so familiar.

He passed her a cup of water, one time, but that seemed to be in another lifetime.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
13:59 UTC_

On a fine spring day in April 1995, Hiruzen Sarutobi had just finished a bottle of red wine with friends when he received a phone call from an unknown number. Answering, he heard an incoherent gurgling as a woman screamed in the background. Her screams were soon cut off by an abrupt gunshot. There was silence on the line before a man came on, telling him to go to a specific address - an address Hiruzen happened to know well - alone. Already fearing the worst, he went.

When he got to the house, he knocked on the door, but no one answered. Finding the door open, he went inside. What he found, made Hiruzen want to regurgitate the red wine he had just consumed. His eldest son was slumped face first in front of the kitchen sink, his face blue. Beside him, his wife Magda was lying in a pool of her own blood with a bullet wound to the side of the head. When he reached the sitting room, he found a young man sitting in his son's favorite chair. He was young; approximately 22 years of age, with glasses and white hair pulled into a ponytail. He wore a black suit and a red tie. He was cradling Hiruzen's sleeping year old grandson Konohamaru in one arm and held a handgun equipped with a silencer in the other.

Upon Hiruzen's arrival, the man got up, placed Konohamaru on the chair and said _"Sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances,_ Signore Sarutobi" before pointing his gun at Konohamaru.

When Hiruzen demanded to know who he was, the man replied _"I have no name, only a number."_

Frustrated, Hiruzen then demanded to know who he worked for to which the man replied that he had a proposition. Both his son and daughter-in-law were dead, so Hiruzen must have known they meant business. Hiruzen, in his capacity as newly appointed President of Interpol, would lose interest in the multitude of high-profile homicides that had cropped up world-wide. In return, the life of his grandson would be spared.

As a grandfather, as a parent, Hiruzen knew that he had no choice. He gave the man his word. The man then smiled, pocketed his gun and picked up the sleeping Konohamaru and cradled him in his arms before walking to the door. Bewildered, Hiruzen ran after him. As the man reached the door, he informed Hiruzen that should he renege on his promise, Konohamaru's body would be mailed back to him.

The man left and it was the last that Hiruzen had seen of his grandson until six months ago.

It was then reported a few days later that Marco Sarutobi and his wife Magda has drowned in a boating accident and their son Konohamaru had been taken in by distant relatives.

Admittedly, the death of Asuma Sarutobi bore a striking resemblance to that of his elder brother. But as it was, Neji couldn't be inclined to think that their deaths were anything more than a circumstance. The ITP was gone and Asuma, let alone what remained of the Sarutobi family certainly had nothing to do with him. For twelve years, Hiruzen had remained good on his word to stay out of their affairs. Asuma's death, as well as the death of his wife Kurenai had been ruled a 'murder-suicide' by investigators and while that ruling certainly was odd and suspicious, Neji couldn't believe that it had anything to do with his case.

Neji realized that if he had the resources, he would definitely have the makings of a conspiracy web going on. But as it was, he didn't have a printer - only his trusty laptop. So instead of a web, his desk was littered with an array of post-it notes, all of different colors. Neji scratched his nose as he stood up from his desk and stepped back to take a look at the entire picture. He could feel that he was on to something, yet he was still missing something very large. His visit to Hiruzen had been very informative and had helped to fill in some of the pieces, but not all of them.

Closing his eyes, Neji rubbed a hand over his forehead as he let out a sigh. He moved to the window, throwing open the curtains and squinted as bright sunlight filled the room of his hostel. It would have been out of the question for him to have used a credit card to pay for any sort of high-end hotel, and it would have been even more out of the question for him to return home. But as it was, the hostel that he had found wasn't nearly as shabby as some of the others that he had seen and the landlady who ran it seemed quite nice and hospitable. She had given him a leery look since he looked looked not only old enough, but certainly well enough off to have afforded a nicer place to stay, but Neji had managed to sound humble enough to assuage any fears she may have had.

As for Neji's own fears, as he looked at the array of rainbow-colored post-it notes on the desk, Neji wondered if Anko was right, that he didn't want to know, that he shouldn't have gotten involved. It was the matter in which so many lives had been manipulated; that to whoever had really been pulling the strings at the ITP, be it Orochimaru or some shadowy overlord who hadn't yet revealed himself, life and death was just a game. People's lives were toyed with and for what purpose? They were a means to someone's end.

Neji didn't want to be a means to someone's end, he refused to be. But what happened if he lost? Would someone pick up where he left off, or would it all be for nothing?

Neji groaned and ran his hands over his eyes. Maybe he would call Hinata. While he didn't initially get along with his cousin, Neji found that she had a way of making things seeming better than they were. And Neji could use some of her optimism right now. There wasn't a phone in his room, but Neji had picked up a spare Tracphone at the airport for use other than calling Anko. He had Hinata's cell phone number memorized, as he did with most emergency contact numbers.

Digging the Tracphone out of his bag, Neji quickly dialed Hinata's number. He was dismayed, however, when it went straight to voicemail. Neji found that strange. Seeing as how Hinata as probably a very busy person, Neji was sure that she couldn't afford to have her phone turned off, especially in the middle of the day. But, Neji thought he would let it slide and call her later on in the evening.

* * *

_Naples, Italy_  
_14:32 UTC_

"Oh _Uchiha_, we can't keep meeting like this." Groaned Naruto in mock exasperation and amusement as he sidled up to the table where Sasuke was waiting. The popular café where Sasuke had asked Naruto to meet him crowded, mostly with tourists visiting for the winter holiday. It was the perfect place to meet without being overheard. Naruto noticed the steaming cup of coffee in front of him and smiled. "Aww you shouldn't have."

"Shut the fuck up." Growled Sasuke. Despite him asking Naruto to be here, he wasn't very happy about his presence. Sasuke looked around the café, ignoring a few women longing glances at him.

"I mean, I don't want to break poor Hinata's heart," Naruto continued nonchalantly, "But if you are of questionable orientation, I think that's something that needs to be discussed."

Sasuke's eyes darted back to Naruto and he scowled. "You are so full of yourself, you little prick."

"Hey," Shrugged Naruto, leaning back in his chair, "You're the one that called me down here, to what, point a gun at my dick?"

Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other in which Naruto's eyebrows were raised as if to say that yes, he had noticed the gun while Sasuke's eyes were narrowed. Naruto looked down casually underneath the table as Sasuke gritted his teeth and reluctantly pulled away the gun he had pointed at Naruto underneath the table. Naruto breathed a subtle sigh of relief.

"Can you blame me for not fully trusting you yet?" Sasuke asked as he tucked the gun back in its proper place. "We aren't exactly the best of friends."

"Well jeez," Said Naruto crossing his arms in front of his chest, "I came to your wedding and gave you a very handsome wedding gift, not that you needed it. I at least expect _some_ appreciation."

Sasuke's eyes widened and his nostrils flared as he leaned in closer to Naruto, angered by Naruto's gall. "Hey, first off, you can tell Sakura I do not_ appreciate_ her bring the likes of you to my wedding. You would not believe the shit I got from Itachi about it. It was enough to drive a sane person nuts. Second off, no, I did not appreciate your box of condoms and a check filled with your black market money. It's probably still hot and the last thing I need to put up with is it getting tracked back to me." Spat Sasuke.

"Oh ye of little faith, Uchiha!" Naruto exclaimed. "If I ever had hot money, our little courtship would have ended _years_ ago."

"Hn." Sasuke snorted, looking away as he crossed his own arms.

"So why am I here?" Naruto asked, finally taking a swig of his coffee. "All jests aside, when I got your call, you actually sounded concerned."

"Let's get one thing straight, Uzumaki." Said Sasuke, turning to Naruto.

"Yes, darling?" Naruto asked, batting his eyelashes which only Sasuke seeth even more.

"I still hate your _fucking_ guts," Said Sasuke, pointing a finger at Naruto, "And that's not going to change."

"Aw, I love you too, but let's get down to business." Said Naruto, pushing Sasuke's finger aside.

* * *

_Rome, Italy_  
_17:29 UTC_

"I'm...I'm-"

"You're sorry for my loss. Please, with all due respect, _Agente_, don't say it unless you mean it. You aren't doing me any favors whether you say it or not."

_Shikamaru stared sullenly at the floor as he spoke these words. His thumbs twiddled relentlessly around the mug of steaming tea that he held in his hands. His gym shoes scuffed along wooden floor. He heard a short sigh from the man standing beside him before a cigarette was thrust under his nose._

"Cigarette then?"

_Shikamaru looked up, baffled by the young officer before him._ "You're...kidding me right? _Polizia_ aren't supposed to offer these to kids."

_The officer before him gave a wry grin and a shrug._ "You're thirteen, right? Old enough to make your own decisions. It's not like you have to take it."

_Shikamaru contemplated the cigarette again before setting the untouched mug of tea on the floor and taking the cigarette. He paused before putting the cigarette in between his lips. He looked toward the officer who flicked out a lighter from the shirt pocket of his uniform and lit the end of Shikamaru's cigarette. Shikamaru took in a shaky breath before sputtering from the smoke. The officer chuckled as he lit his own cigarette and took a drag._

"It takes a bit getting used to. You'll learn."

_Shikamaru scowled before clearing his throat. His fingers shook as he raised the cigarette to his lips again. The drag he took was smaller this time, and he let the smoke billow from his lips as he pulled the cigarette away._

"There you go." _Said the officer._

"Ma will kill me when she comes back and sees me with this." _Said Shikamaru as he contemplated the cigarette. His fingers shook a little less now._ "...Thanks."

_The officer nodded his head in return, but the mirth had gone from his eyes._ "Your father was a good man, Shikamaru. And I can say that because I knew him. I...I won't say that he died for a good cause because we'll both know that I'm full of shit, but...what else can I say. I am truly sorry for your loss."

_Shikamaru blew out a breath of smoke at the floor. The words hurt, but in his heart, he knew they were true._ "Thanks..._Agente_?..."

"Asuma will do."

"Shikamaru."

"Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru eyes slowly opened to the din of Temari's yelling. The room was dark, although sunlight was filtering in through the cracks in the blinds. Temari was sitting on the edge of the bed, her head in her hands. She was still wearing the clothes that she had put on yesterday and her hair was in utter disarray. In another room, Anna Sarutobi was wailing.

Shikamaru ran a hand through his hair and sat up. _"She's crying."_ He said, after a moment of silence had passed between them. Normally, Shikamaru wasn't one to state the obvious, but after his dream, memory, flashback - whatever the hell it had been, Shikamaru didn't know what else to say.

_"You think I don't know that?!"_ Temari yelled, turning on Shikamaru faster than he would have thought humanly possible. _"You think I can't hear that she's crying? Again? It's been this way for the past two days!"_

Shikamaru looked at his girlfriend with tired eyes. Beneath the façade of anger, Shikamaru could see that Temari wasn't actually angry at all. She was scared. He could see it as plain as day in her wide, frantic eyes, as if she were searching for answers that she expected not to was bewildered, but most of all, she hadn't been ready to just be landed with a child that wasn't hers. Shikamaru could see that she was trying her best to be understanding, to cope with the situation. _"Temari..."_ He said softly.

_"We don't know how to take care of children!"_ Temari continued, her voice growing more shrill. _"I didn't want this, but you just went ahead and made the decision for me! I didn't ask you to do that! I don't understand, Shikamaru! I don't understand and I don't know what to do-"_

Shikamaru gathered Temari in his arms and pressed her head into the crook of his neck as she beat at his back for a few seconds before shuddering and letting the tears flow. Shikamaru said nothing, only held Temari in his arms while Anna continued to cry in the background. Shikamaru could feel her confusion, her pain more than anything else. Temari was used to being a strong woman, but she seemed to be breaking down, bit by bit. He heard her heave and felt her warm tears on his neck. He wanted to tell her that he needed her, now more than ever. He couldn't do it alone and he was scared that if she fell apart, he wouldn't be strong enough to take care of Anna and pick up the broken pieces. He was trying his best to be strong enough for all of them, but it was just so _hard_ and he just didn't know what he was doing.

Temari's fingers curled into his hair.

_"I'll read her a story, ok?"_ Said Shikamaru, pulling back as he cradled Temari's head between his hands. _"You should try and get some sleep. You'll feel better if you do."_

Temari sniffled and gave a short nod of her head. Her eyes, now red with fallen tears gazed at him, like some last ditch effort to see inside. Shikamaru gazed wordlessly back as he wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. He gave her a small kiss on the forehead before finally releasing her and getting out of bed.

Closing the door silently behind him, Shikamaru walked down the hall to the next room. The room that Anna now resided in had once been deemed 'Shikamaru's room' by Temari. But now, the room had been cleansed of cigarette smoke and the shabby couch, junky television set and boxes of spare junk had been cleared away to make room for Anna's crib, playpen and changing table. The room was barely big enough to hold all the stuff, but somehow, they had made it work.

Making his way over to the screaming girl, Shikamaru plucked her out of the crib and cradled her in one arm. Since they had gained custody of Anna two days ago and Hiruzen and his grandson Konohamaru had helped to move Anna into their apartment, the baby had been an around the clock priority. Spare time, or more importantly sleep had become a rare occurrence. Aside from the furniture, all of Anna's belongings were still tucked away in a bunch of boxes that littered the apartment. Opening one labeled _'libri'_, Shikamaru brought out a book that Hiruzen said was Anna's favorite and that Kurenai read it to her often. At a year old, Shikamaru wasn't sure if Anna was mentally capable of choosing favorites yet, but he thought it couldn't hurt.

They had managed to cram a rocking chair into the corner of the room and Shikamaru sat down, flipping the book open as he bounced Anna in his arm. Luckily after a few pages, Anna fell into a soundless sleep. Something told Shikamaru that he and Temari would pay for putting Anna on such an odd sleep cycle, but he would take the silence when he could get it. Too afraid to move Anna from her comfortable place, Shikamaru flipped through the rest of the children's book.

On the second to last page, Shikamaru spotted a slip of paper stuck in-between the pages. Shikamaru plucked it out. _Datura Stramonium_ was written in Asuma's distinctly stylized, yet cramped handwriting.

Perhaps it was because of his recent dream of Asuma, but Shikamaru was suddenly shaken by the seemingly innocent scrap of paper. Shikamaru wasn't closely associated with botany, but Shikamaru couldn't understand why the name of a plant would be hidden away within a children's book unless Asuma had hidden it there for a purpose. And the only purpose Shikamaru could think of would be to hide it. And then Shikamaru was suddenly thinking back to the last time that he saw Kurenai and the disturbing promise she had made him keep.

* * *

_Naples, Italy_  
_14:42 UTC_

The streets of Naples were warm and both sunlight and tourists flooded the streets. Sasuke Uchiha felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out, only to press the ignore button on Kakashi's call. Beside him, Naruto Uzumaki seemed to be paying the youngest Uchiha no attention as he walked with his backpack slung on one shoulder and gazed up to the rooftops of Naples.

"So how did you find me anyway?" Asked Naruto, finally turning to Sasuke.

Sasuke looked apathetic as he stared at Naruto. "I don't owe you any explanations, Uzumaki. I did date Sakura before you, you know. I should know her well." He said broodingly.

Naruto frowned, not from wounded pride, but because he worried that if Sasuke had found him so easily, what was to stop an ITP agent or whoever was after him from showing up on the Haruno's doorstep? Naruto quickly put the thought out of his mind.

"I called you," Said Sasuke finally, "Because I have no one else to turn to."

Naruto opened his mouth for a quip, but found no words coming out. Somehow, Sasuke's admission of weakness didn't seem as comically or tease-worthy as it usually would.

"You have a whole agency to turn to, so how can you say that?" Naruto asked instead.

Sasuke shook his head. "Hiruzen Sarutobi, the President of Interpol's son died recently. His son was...a good friend of mine."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, a sense of remorse flowing over him. Sasuke wasn't aware of the connection between him and Hiruzen and Naruto wasn't about to let him know about it. But to hear that Hiuzen's son had died, it made Naruto feel a thousand times worse than he already did. Hiruzen didn't speak of his family often and Naruto had never asked. He knew that his wife and eldest son had died sometime ago.

"He was...killed?" Naruto asked hesitantly. For some reason, this seemed like some awful retribution for Hiruzen helping Naruto for all those years although Naruto knew the ITP couldn't have been involved. At least he prayed to God they weren't.

"It was officially ruled a suicide." Said Sasuke. "But something drove him to suicide, and the deeper I go, searching for what it is..." Sasuke trailed off uncertainly.

Naruto was reminded of Neji's search into his parents and the ITP and how that search had suddenly put a price on his head. He could guess where Sasuke was going.

"Asuma was onto something that drove him to suicide," Said Sasuke, "And who knows how many others there may have been. And now my wife..." Sasuke stopped himself before he could say the words.

"Hinata?" Naruto asked in disbelief. "Hinata...she..." Even Naruto couldn't bring himself to say it. Although he had only known Hinata for a short while, and he had been playing a part throughout most of their interactions, he had really liked the soft-spoken woman. There was just something about her that seemed hard to dislike and she had been kind to Naruto when she certainly had no reason to.

"No." Said Sasuke with difficulty as Naruto let out a sigh of relief. "But she very well could if I don't get to the bottom of this thing...whatever the fuck it is."

"Then tell me what it is." Said Naruto with a surprising amount of determination in his voice. "Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it."

Sasuke turned to Naruto and although he didn't say anything, his usually cold eyes conveyed his gratefulness better than his words ever could. "So," Sasuke said instead as they rounded the corner. "How familiar are you with Operation Glaido?"

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_1:23 UTC_

Sakura didn't know why she was up so late, sitting in the darkness of her parent's living room, cradling the home phone to her chest. She was waiting for Naruto's call informing her that he had landed safely, but that was irrational since Italy was at least a couple hours _ahead_ of Michigan time. Sakura fingered the hem of her robe, wondering if she had been too harsh with Naruto before he had left. Yet she had meant every word that she had said to him. She wanted to be treated as an equal, someone who people wouldn't always be worried for. While it was sometimes nice, she didn't constantly want people to be worried about her safely, or how she would be able to handle something, especially not when it meant that they had to be dishonest with her.

A parting kiss right in the Haruno's own living room had been the last that Sakura had seen or heard for Naruto, before a taxi had whisked him off to the airport. Naruto had insisted it would be better that way, rather than let anyone who may have been watching them see them together. Sakura knew what he was leaving unsaid - that he would be more inconspicuous without her there. Sometimes Sakura wondered if the real problem was because she was a burden.

With a sigh, Sakura delicately placed the phone down on the table and stood up, glancing sullenly out the window. Through the sheer drapes, the world was quiet outside. The last remains of autumn leaves swirled in the wind and in the distance Sakura heard a lone car drive by. A figure moving caught Sakura out of the corner of her eye, but at second glance, Sakura realized it was only her parent's neighbor, bundled up against the cold, putting the trash out on the curb before morning pick up.

Sakura yawned, treading silently toward her bedroom. Maybe Naruto would at least have the decency to call her tomorrow. When Sakura reached her bedroom, there were two things that she realized with a start. First was that garbage pickup wasn't tomorrow - it wouldn't happen for another day or so. Second was that Mr. Steinholtz was away on a business trip, leaving only Mrs. Steinholtz at home. In fact, Mrs. Haruno was certain he was having an affair, but wouldn't dare voice her suspicions to Mrs. Steinholtz.

The point was, Mr. Steinholtz was gone and the figure throwing out the Steinholtz's garbage had been definitely male.

Sakura's hand grasped the door frame for support and then she turned to go back to the living room, before she could second guess herself. She was probably being silly, or it was just a misunderstanding, but that thought quickly vanished when Sakura saw the doorknob to the door that lead to the basement slowly turn.

Sakura quickly covered her mouth with her hand before she could even let out a gasp. Without a moment's hesitation, Sakura kept her hand firmly over her mouth as she deftly skirted passed the door on silent feet and slipped into the kitchen. Cramming herself into the dark shadows between the refrigerator and the kitchen door, Sakura did her best to calm both her breathing and her heart rate as she heard the basement door open and close softly.

Getting over her nerves and initial surprise, Sakura realized she had the upper hand. She could easily slip out the front door and hide in the forests surrounding her parent's house before the assassin would even know she and Naruto were missing.

But her parents.

She knew that the assassin would not leave them be, even if her and Naruto were nowhere to be found. A tear slipped down Sakura's cheek and she quickly wiped it away. She could hear the assassin's footsteps, as light as they were, heading into the bedroom where she should had been fast asleep.

Fueled by fierce determination and the thought of her innocent parents, Sakura's hand scrambled for the kitchen drawer. Opening it softly, Sakura reached inside and drew out a knife before heading toward the bedroom.

She wasn't trained like they were. She knew that something would give her away. But as she approached the bedroom with her lightest footsteps, she knew that she couldn't give up, that she had to try till the very end.

With the knife poised in her hand, she saw the assassin looking around the empty bedroom. Sakura jumped forward, on light feet, the knife ready. But as predicted, the assassin must have heard her, because he turned half a second before Sakura could land the knife in the middle of his back. The knife sunk into the man's shoulder-blade and the assassin gave out a hiss of pain, a half surprised look in his eyes before backhanded Sakura across the face.

A cry escaping her lips, Sakura flew back, sliding out into the hallway. Pain was spreading across her jaw and Sakura knew she would have a pretty black and blue mark soon, but she couldn't let that slow her down. The man lunged for her, but Sakura rolled out of the way before jumping onto the man's back.

The man let out another hiss of irritation, but otherwise let no sound escape his lips. Sakura squeezed one arm around the man's neck before plucking out the knife with the other. As Sakura raised the knife, the man swung her into the hallway wall, knocking her arm. The knife slipped from her grasp and clattered against the floor. Grabbing her arm, Sakura shrieked as her world was suddenly turned upside down as the man flipped her off his back.

The wind was momentarily knocked from Sakura as her back landed with a thud on the floor. She was seeing stars, but the adrenaline pumping through her body propelled her to struggle to her feet. The assassin was advancing toward her slowly, as if he had no reason to be in a hurry. He was of average height and bundled in a heavy jacket and scarf.

Before Sakura could do anything, the assassin reached for her, grabbing her by the front of her robe before picking her up and slamming her body into the wall. Sakura winced in pain before the assassin grabbed her chin. Sakura squirmed and lashed her legs out, but she felt as if her kicks were harmless.

"I commend you for your quick thinking with the knife." His voice was smooth and a heavy Italian accent was apparent. Sakura narrowed her eyes and spat in the man's face.

The assassin's face reeled slightly. "That was not smart." He murmured after a moment.

Sakura spat again, but before the assassin could raise a hand to strike her, a shotgun blast echoed through the room and Sakura fell to the ground in the heap as the assassin fell to the floor.

Mrs. Haruno let out a whimper as she clutched onto her husband's arm as Mr. Haruno raised his shotgun to shoot again.

"No, wait!" Cried Sakura, a hand to her head as she tried to gather her senses. Pulling herself to her feet, Sakura awkwardly tripped over the assassin, who was writhing in pain on the floor. Sakura quickly stumbled over to her father, forcibly lowering the gun in his hands.

"Sakura, what the hell is going on?" Mr. Haruno demanded. Despite his usually tough exterior, it was apparent that Mr. Haruno was still shaken from seeing his only daughter on the verge of death. It was clear that he and Mrs. Haruno had jumped straight from bed when they heard Sakura's scuffle. Beside Mr. Haruno, Mrs. Haruno looked on the verge of tears, her red hair disheveled and her robe open.

"Sakura, who is that man?" Mrs. Haruno cried.

Sakura over toward the assassin, who was now struggling to get up. She needed answers. She needed to know why someone wanted her and Naruto dead so badly. She needed this to stop.

"I'm calling 911." Said Mr. Haruno, obviously distressed by Sakura's lack of answer.

"Wait!" Said Sakura, her head whipping around to face her father. "Wait."

"Oh, Sakura!" Said her mother, coming forward to touch Sakura's cheek which must have been purpling with a bruise from where the assassin had struck her.

Sakura impatiently waved her her mother off. "I can't explain everything right now, Dad, but I...I need to talk with him."

"Sakura!" Her mother cried as her father gave her an incredulous look. "Are you crazy?" He asked sternly.

"No," Said Sakura, her voice steely. "But I know what I need to do."

* * *

**Random Fact:** Kushina Uzumaki is of both Japanese and Scottish descent but grew up in Okinawa.


	18. Chapter 18

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Note: **Shameless self promotion for my other story **Behind the Mask. **But if not...reviews here would be lovely as well.

Well, here's the new chapter...finally. I really wanted to get it out by New Years since I don't know when I'll be able to update next. This chapter is a bit shorter and slower than previous ones and for that I apologize. I think that things will start picking up soon, so hold out!

* * *

018: Will Not Fall  
_(find that inner strength)_

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States  
1:48 UTC_

She wasn't afraid.

The image of her parent's faces as they watched her go from the back door was emblazoned in her mind. _They _were afraid. She could see it plainly on her mother's worn face and tucked away in her father's eyes.

She didn't look back as her boots crunched through long dead leaves that had fallen to the ground. Her father's shotgun was clamped rigidly between her frozen and pale fingers. The assassin marched before her, his jacket stained with dried blood and his hands cinched together behind his back.

He stopped for a minute, perhaps from weariness due his wound or perhaps because he wondered exactly where Sakura was taking him. Sakura had no patience for stopping; she prodded him with the nozzle of the gun and he continued to walk.

The sky was that pale, murky, indescribable color, punctured by the dark silhouette of tree branches that grew denser around them the more the continued walking. The air was still and silence echoed all around them, disrupted only by the crunch of leaves and the releasing of breath.

The dark woods surrounding her parent's house used to scare her as a youth. But not today.

"Stop." Said Sakura.

The assassin continued to walk forward, his shoulders slumped and head bowed. Perhaps he did not hear her. Sakura clutched the gun tighter in her hands. "I said _stop._"

"You do not control me." The assassin replied, his voice quiet and even.

Sakura didn't bat an eyelash as she moved forward and swung the butt of the gun into the side of the assassin's head, throwing all her weight into the motion. The assassin's head jerked sideways as flew to the ground in a heap, leaves crunching underneath him. He let out a grunt of pain before Sakura flipped him over onto his back with the toe of her boot. She hefted the gun up and pointed it at his head.

"Have you even fired a weapon before? Ever _killed _someone?" He stared up at Sakura, amber eyes glinting in the dull sky. The side of his head was congealing with blood from where Sakura had struck him with the gun. The corners of his mouth were upturned slightly in a smirk.

"I'll be asking the questions here." Growled Sakura. "Who sent you here? The ITP?"

"The ITP is dead." Said the assassin. "You saw to that."

"Then why are you after us?" Sakura asked.

The assassin's eyes flicked away from Sakura for a moment before turning back. "You've set something in motion." He sighed. "You've opened the floodgates and now the water will not stop flowing until there is none."

Sakura felt a prickle of irritation. That was all anyone seemed to give her - roundabout answers. Sakura cocked the shotgun - something her father had just showed her how to do, and re-aimed the gun at the assassin. "I don't want to listen to your _bullshit. _Tell me why you are here." Sakura demanded.

The assassin closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He made no move to get up. The entire side of his face was now matted with dried blood. "You will die, soon enough." He said, finally. "I will not be the one to do it, but someone else will come. And if they fail, there will be another. They will keep coming, until you are dead. Only then will you have peace."

Sakura narrowed her green eyes. The wind blew around them, ruffling Sakura's robe underneath her coat. She bent down, shoving the nozzle of the gun against the assassin's forehead. "I'll have peace," She said through gritted teeth, "When Naruto _ends _you all."

The assassin gave out a stark laugh and grabbed the nozzle of the gun, pressing it into his forehead. "Do it." He urged. "I don't fear death."

For a moment, Sakura thought she was seeing red. An anger that she had never known suddenly spread through her as she ripped the gun away from the assassin's face and grabbed him by the front of his coat, pulling him forward. What had she, or Naruto for that matter, done wrong in life to deserve this endless chase when all that awaited them at the end was death? Naruto may have been a thief, but he certainly didn't deserve what he had coming for him. How was it that truly bad people could go on in life, getting everything that they wanted while the good ones only suffered? Sakura let the assassin fall face first to the ground as she walked around and then rough jerked him to his knees. She gripped him by his shoulder as he hissed in pain.

"You don't fear death," She said in a detached voice, "But maybe you fear pain?" She asked as she tightened her grip on his shoulder.

"There is nothing that you can do to hurt me." Said the assassin through gritted teeth.

"No?" Questioned Sakura. "I'm a doctor, I know _plenty _of ways to hurt you. So I suggest you start answering my questions."

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
16:21 UTC_

_"Neji? I...I wasn't aware that you would be calling..." _Hanabi's voice was hesitant and quiet as it came through the phone's speakers.

Neji paused as the door to his room swung open and he gripped the cell phone more solidly in his hand as he flipped the light switch and dumped his keys and food down on the table. "Hanabi." He said finally, _"I didn't know you would be with Hinata." _

Sitting down on his bed, he couldn't help but feel...worried.

_"Well, you see cousin, I have a hell of a story to tell you..." _Said Hanabi, her voice sardonic.

Neji sat on the bed in silence as Hanabi poured out the entire story to Neji. Hanabi's voice was on edge and she was speaking faster than she normally would. Neji didn't move until Hanabi had finished.

_"Father is...still a bit in denial over Hinata's condition and Sasuke hasn't really-" _

_"I'm sorry, Hanabi." _Said Neji, cutting her off. _"I have to go. Something has come to my attention. Thank you for telling me."  
_  
He hung up and snapped the phone shut before Hanabi could utter another word. He sat on the bed silently more a few more moments before he passed a hand wordlessly over his eyes. Then slowly, as if he had managed to age a great deal in a short amount of time, Neji got up and went to sit at the desk with his laptop. He paused a moment before he began to type.

His food was left cold and forgotten on the table.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
21:59 UTC_

"We can temporarily dye your hair…just as an extra precaution." Sasuke said wearily, rubbing his hands into his eyes.

Sasuke paused a moment, his hands covering his eyes as if he were attempting to hide from reality for a brief moment. But the moment quickly passed and Sasuke sighed before running his hands through his hair and looking up.

Naruto had been watching him, but he quickly looked away into the fireplace when Sasuke's dark eyes met his. "I'm not worried." He said.

The fire was burning brightly, casting a warm orange glow over the study. Shadows danced across Naruto's face as he stared into the bright flames. Outside, snow was once again drifting down from the sky and frost and already glazed the windowpanes in thin layers. On the desk, file folders as thick as books were scattered about and papers littered the surface. An iPad was lying on Sasuke's lap, but he quickly cast it aside as he grabbed some other papers off the desk. He chose not to respond to Naruto's comment.

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke and watched as the Uchiha sat hunched over his work; as if he were hoping an answer would pop out at him from the text. Naruto knew that Sasuke had read all the files on the table enough times to have them memorized by now. He was a different person now – spending only a few hours with him had been enough for Naruto to see it. He was trying to act normal – and that was probably for the best – but it was clear that whatever happened with Hinata had changed Sasuke, possibly forever.

Briefly shutting his eyes, Naruto snatched his scotch glass off the table.

He stood up and his chair scraped lightly against the hardwood floor. "I'm going to get some water." He said. He watched Sasuke for a few seconds before turning and making his way toward the door. He wasn't sure if Sasuke had heard him, but he knew that even if he did, Sasuke wouldn't have acknowledged him anyway.

The Uchiha manor was just as nice as Naruto had remembered; only now it echoed not with the laughter of hundreds of guests and music, but with eerie silence that could only accompany a home of such magnitude that only housed a few inhabitants.

The kitchen, like the rest of the manor, was twice the size of one found in a normal home and featured all the latest of appliances. It gleamed of polished wood and stainless steel and smelled like warm freshly baked bread. Naruto wondered absentmindedly if they sprayed something in the air so it smelled like that. He turned on the tap and quickly filled his glass with cool water.

"M-Minato?"

Naruto quickly spun around and found Mikoto Uchiha staring back at him. Despite her casual wear, she was an elegantly dressed woman and exuded an air of wealth and poise. Her long black hair was tossed over her shoulder and her bangs framed her face. Naruto could see the resemblance between her and her son, yet Mikoto's features were soft in contrast to Sasuke's sharp features.

_"Oh, I'm sorry." _Said Mikoto demurely as she set down a wine glass on the counter. _"I've been a little frazzled lately. You almost looked like someone I knew once."_

"O-Oh…" Said Naruto, his expression dumbfounded as he watched Mikoto wash her glass out in the sink.

_"Are you an associate of my sons?" _Mikoto asked, turning toward him expectantly.

_"Yes…" _Naruto answered, his mind still reeling.

_"These days, I never know when Sasuke is here and when he is gone." _She murmured. There was a distant look in her eyes before she turned back toward Naruto. A sad smile crossed her lips. _"Enjoy the rest of your evening." _She said, nodding her head before turning to head out of the kitchen.

Naruto watched her go, his glass of water forgotten. _"Mrs. Uchiha!" _Said Naruto quickly, finding his words before Mikoto could leave the kitchen.

Mikoto turned toward him, her gaze questioning. Naruto swallowed and forced himself to find the words. _"That name that you said…" _

_"Oh." _Mikoto turned always, almost embarrassed. _"As I said, it was just someone I used to know…" _

_"Was it Minato Namikaze?" _Naruto asked quietly. Mikoto glanced up quickly, her dark eyes wide. She tilted her head and her gaze turned both questioning and frantic. _"How…?" _

_"Did you know him?" _Naruto pressed. When Mikoto didn't answer, Naruto's voice turned suddenly desperate. _"If you know something, please tell me. He…he was my father."_

Mikoto's eyes snapped to Naruto and she stared at him as if she were staring deep into his soul. She took a step backward and quickly the counter as if she needed support to continue standing up right. _"Who are you?" _She whispered.

Naruto met her gaze. _"My name is Naruto Uzumaki." _He said softly.

As soon as the words slipped from Naruto's lips, the effect on Mikoto was instantaneous. Her already pale skin turned white as if she had seen a ghost. Her knees buckled under her and Naruto quickly rushed to her side to help her stand. _"Mrs. Uchiha?" _Naruto questioned, his voice on edge.

_"No…" _She whispered. She began shaking her head before bringing her hand to her forehead as if to soothe a headache.

_ "You…you can't be…" _She mumbled. Looking around frantically, Naruto quickly helped Mikoto into the dining room. After seating her in a chair, he rushed back to the kitchen, grabbing his forgotten glass of water before rushing back to the dining room and thrusting the glass into Mikoto's hand. He knelt down before her.

Minako hesitantly took a sip before shaking her head and putting the glass on the table. _"No…no. It isn'y possible…" _

Naruto's heart was beating wildly in his chest, but he quickly swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and grasped Mikoto's hand which caused her to jump. _"Mrs. Uchiha._" He said in the most controlled voice he could manage.

Mikoto glanced up, her expression a mixture of fear and disbelief. Her dark eyes found Naruto's and the look she gave him shook Naruto. He tried steeling his nerves for his next words as he reached for her hand that was on her lap. _"I need you to explain to me." _

Mikoto bit down on one of her perfect lips and looked away, tears suddenly brimming at her eyes. _"They said you had died." _She said, her voice breaking.

Naruto looked at her, speechless. He shook his head, as if trying to make sense of what she had just said. _"Dead?" _He finally managed. _"Who? Who said I was dead? How did you know my father?" _He asked urgently. His hand began to squeeze hers.

_"They searched for you." _Said Mikoto, as if she hadn't even heard Naruto. Tears began to spill down her cheeks as she continued, _"When they found her, you were gone. They said you couldn't have survived…" _

Her words weren't making any sense. What did they mean they had searched for him? Was she talking about his mother? Naruto shook Mikoto's hand, hoping to break her from her delirious state. _"Mrs. Uchiha, I was placed in an orphanage here in Rome when I was four." _He said. _"Did you know about this? Is that what you are trying to say?" _

Mikoto turned to him, finally seeing him with clarity. _"No." _She said vehemently. _"That's impossible." _

Naruto looked at her helplessly. _"My mother's signature was on the documents." _

Mikoto pulled her hand away from Naruto's and Naruto backed away as Mikoto stood up and began to pace. She covered her face with her hands for a moment before pulling them away and wiping her tears away. She seemed to take a minute to compose herself before approaching Naruto. Naruto stood up before her.

Mikoto brought her hand up to Naruto's cheek and Naruto didn't flinch away from her touch. Her skin was warm and worn. Her eyes were studying him. _"You're really Kushina's son? You're really Naruto?" _She whispered.

Naruto swallowed and nodded his head.

Before Naruto knew it, Mikoto has pulled him into a crushing hug as tears once again spilled from her eyes. Naruto stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Mikoto's revelation had still left him with more questions rather than answers, but perhaps there would still be time for that yet. Slowly, Naruto put his arms around the crying Uchiha matriarch and forced himself to be satisfied with the fact that there was at least one person who was both willing and able to provide him with the answers he needed.

Behind them, Sasuke Uchiha was unsure of what he had just walked into.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
22:05 UTC_

Kakashi wasn't sure what he was doing and he was positive that he had the wrong address. But as he glanced down at his phone once more to double check, he found that he was at the right location. That didn't exactly make Kakashi feel inspired.

The apartment corridor he stood in was dingy, dimly lit and had paint peeling from the walls. The walls were thin and Kakashi could hear the television blasting in one apartment and some inappropriate noises coming from another. Kakashi shook his head and turned to leave. He had only gotten a few steps away from the door before groaning and turning back to approach the door. He stared at the disgusting green colored door and rusting numbers that marked the apartment before finally bringing his fist up to knock before he could lose courage.

After waiting a couple of seconds, he heard nothing. Frowning, Kakashi decided to knock again. When he still heard nothing, Kakashi's anger and desperateness got the better of him and he pounded his fist angrily against the door. This time, he heard thundering footsteps inside the apartment and the door suddenly swung open, causing Kakashi to take a step backward.

A blond woman, her hair frazzled stuck her head out the door. _"What the fuck do you want?" _She hissed angrily. _"Get the fuck out of here." _

She made to close the door, but Kakashi quickly stopped her with his foot. _"Temari…right?" _He asked hesitantly. This woman was clearly volatile.

Temari glanced up at Kakashi and Kakashi could see that she was tired rather than angry. Dark bags hung under her eyes. _"Who are you?" _She questioned tiredly.

_"Ispettore Capo Kakashi Hatake_._" _Kakashi answered. After hesitating a moment, he decided to show her his badge to prove himself.

Temari's eyebrows furrowed. _"Interpol?" _She wearily questioned. _"What are you doing here?...Or does this have to do with Anna?" _

Kakashi paused before nodding his head. Sighing, Temari pushed the door open so that Kakashi could enter.

Unsure of what to expect, Kakashi was surprised by what he saw when he entered the apartment. Unlike the exterior, the interior of the apartment had a fresh coat of paint and was both clean and well furnished. Temari closed the door quietly behind her before turning to face Kakashi. She had her arms crossed over her chest.

_"Keep your voice down. We just got Anna to go to sleep." _Temari said. Her voice seemed to imply that it wasn't an easy task.

Wordlessly, Kakashi nodded his head. _"Do…do you think I can see her?" _He whispered.

Temari regarded him silently for a moment. Kakashi thought perhaps she would decide against it when she finally shrugged her shoulders and gestured for Kakashi to follow her. He followed her down the hallway toward a small room at the end. As Kakashi entered, he found that the room was piled with cardboard boxes and only a few spare pieces of furniture including Anna's crib. Temari stood by the doorway as Kakashi entered and approached the crib.

She was just as beautiful as Kakashi remembered, as beautiful as the day Kurenai had brought her home from the hospital. He could see a lot of Kurenai in her still growing features, but her hair was a coarse, inky black – exactly as Asuma's had been. She was sleeping soundly, so Kakashi resigned himself to touching her cheek lightly with the tips of his fingers before gazing at her one last time and backing out of the room.

_"I'm sorry to have disturbed you." _Kakashi apologized when they had reached the living room. _"I only wanted to see her." _

Temari nodded and her eyes were much more sympathetic than they had initially been. _"You were…friends with Signor Sarutobi?" _She asked.

Kakashi nodded his head yes. _"You're Shikamaru's…wife?" _

_"Girlfriend." _Temari corrected.

Kakashi instantly felt sorry for Temari. He hadn't known how the young man had known Asuma, but he could only imagine what Temari must have felt. He didn't know Temari, didn't know if she had wanted children, but to have one suddenly thrust into her hands…No doubt the last couple of days must have been a hard adjustment to her.

_"Is Shikamaru here? Can I speak with him?" _Kakashi asked. Apart from the day he met Shikamaru had the office of child services, he had not spoken another word to the Nara boy. With Sasuke absent all day, doing only God knew what, Kakashi had felt almost despondent in the light of the Uchiha's absence. He had realized that he needed someone to talk to, someone that had known Asuma as well as he had. Someone who felt the pain of his death as much as he still did.

He didn't know if Nara Shikamaru would be that person, but Kakashi thought he would give it a try.

_"He isn't here." _Temari responded, and her voice was curt.

"Oh." Said Kakashi lamely. _"He works nights…?" _He probed lightly.

Temari pursed her lips and turned away. She had been hugging her arms to her chest, as if she was trying to hold herself together. _"He left a couple of hours ago. Said he needed to check something. He seemed to think that Anna would sleep through the night this time." _

Kakashi realized with finality that Temari sounded hurt more than anything else. And he suddenly understood the pressure that Temari must have been feeling. To be in a relationship and suddenly have someone's child trust upon you. A child that you didn't know, a child that you weren't ready to mother. Kakashi realized the last thing he needed was to get involved in Shikamaru and Temari's issues.

_"Do you…need me to stay with you? To watch Anna?" _Kakashi suddenly found himself asking.

Temari raised an eyebrow. _"You know how to take care of a baby?" _

_"Do you have any other options?" _Kakashi asked quietly.

His question seemed to break Temari down as her arms fell limply to her side and she solemnly nodded her head. No other words needed to be spoken. Kakashi removed his coat and shoes as Temari walked into the kitchen to make tea.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
22:11 UTC_

Sasuke watched with a mild degree of both confusion and alarm as his mother sobbed into Naruto Uzumaki's shoulder and clutched desperately at the back of his shirt.

He had never seen his mother cry before and that scared Sasuke, outweighing any bafflement he felt over seeing his mother cry into the shoulder of the man he had once considered his enemy. Mikoto Uchiha had always been a picture of elegance, poise and perseverance for as long as Sasuke could remember. She had always been firm with Sasuke and Itachi when they had been children and – much like their father – had never shown a moment of weakness.

Until now.

Sasuke wasn't sure why his mother was crying, but it unnerved Sasuke, especially when he could use all the stability he could get before he too went insane.

Sasuke ran his hand through his hair before putting his fist to his mouth and lightly clearing his throat. The sound seemed to have the desired effect as both Mikoto and Naruto seemed to break out of whatever trance they had been in. Mikoto slowly pulled away from Naruto, glancing up at him briefly before she brushed the tears away from her eyes with her hands.

"Sasuke…" Said Mikoto softly as she turned to her son.

Naruto glanced over toward Sasuke, but the usual light from his eyes was gone. He just seemed tired. Sasuke realized with a start that never before had he seen Naruto look so solemn and guarded. He furrowed his eyebrows as he once again glanced between his mother and Naruto.

_"I thought you were just going to get a glass of water."_ Said Sasuke, forcing himself to keep his voice casual. _"What's going on?" _

Mikoto looked at Sasuke and for the first time, Sasuke could see that his mother looked just as tired as Naruto did. She glanced briefly at Naruto, nodding her head before walking toward Sasuke. _"Another time." _She said softly, her hand lightly brushing against his arm before he exited the dining room and disappeared from view.

_"What the hell was that about?" _Sasuke finally questioned.

Naruto shook his head as he too brushed past Sasuke. _"Your mom is right. Now isn't the right time. Let's go over the plan again before tomorrow." _He said wearily as he made his way back to the study.

Sasuke stood there in the dining room by himself for a while. In another life, Sasuke would have blown his top and pressured Naruto until he got the answers that he wanted. But now, perhaps after what happened with Hinata, Sasuke was much more sensitive toward knowing when there were things that people just didn't want to talk about. So for now, he would wait. And whatever secret that his mother and Naruto shared, if it was important enough, they would tell him when the time came.

* * *

_Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States_  
_2:10 UTC_

The yell reverberated against Sakura's hand and she clamped down harder on the assassin's mouth. She couldn't risk anyone hearing them, even this far out in the woods. She removed her finger from the assassin's neck and after another moment, removed her hand from his mouth.

"You'll regain control of your neck within a couple minutes." Said Sakura. Sakura kept a firm grasp on the back of the assassin's coat to keep him from slumping from the stress position she had forced him to. The assassin's breathing was now heavy and she could feel him trembling from the increased stress building in his legs. "Are you ready to answer my question?" She asked.

The assassin remained silent. It took a few moments before the assassin gathered the strength to turn his head slightly and spit on the ground. Sakura closed her eyes briefly in dismay as she felt her heart plummet. Rubbing her free hand over her eyes, Sakura knew that she had to stay strong.

"You'll tell me soon enough." Said Sakura, letting her voice remain flat and defiant. "You've already lost a lot of blood and the pressure building in your legs from both the stress position you're in and your broken kneecap will only make you weaker." She said.

The broken kneecap had been Sakura's doing. Although she absolutely detested using her medical knowledge for such situations, Sakura was desperate for answers. Yet so far, the assassin had proved defiant. In truth, Sakura didn't know if she could expect any answers from him, or if she had the continued strength to find them.

The assassin hadn't responded to Sakura's threat. Sakura moved her hand to the side of the assassin's head. He quickly flinched under her light touch. "Have you ever had low blood pressure?" Sakura asked as her fingers grazed along the assassin's temple, searching for the correct spot.

"You can blame the Hyuuga." Said the assassin quickly when Sakura's fingers had stopped alongside his face. "You might have had a chance if Uzumaki had killed him."

Sakura's heart leapt into her throat. Had she finally broke through? "Neji?" She quickly questioned.

"He should have left the past alone. They were satisfied with getting rid of Orochimaru, they would have left it at that."

Sakura quickly surmised that he was talking about the file Neji had given to Naruto regarding his parents. Naruto had told Sakura that Neji had suspected this whole situation had arisen from him probing where he shouldn't have.

"What's so special about Naruto's parents?" Sakura asked.

"He was a politician." Said the assassin.

Sakura frowned. That much they already knew. There must have been something more. "And?" She probed.

The assassin had fallen silent again. Letting out an impatient sigh, Sakura could feel her impatience growing. Seeing no other alternatives, she took off her glove and dug her finger into the bullet wound her father had inflicted on the assassin. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and held back the verge to vomit as her finger dug into his flesh while her other arm wrapped around the assassin's face to suppress his yell.

After a moment, Sakura pulled her finger out, refusing to look at the blood that now coated it. The assassin was heaving now and taking in shuddery breaths of air.

"He was murdered." The assassin finally said. "He threatened exposure so he was eliminated."

Sakura's eyes widened at this revelation. Naruto had suspected that his father had been murdered, but to discover that it was true... "Who did he threaten to expose?" She quickly asked.

"The ITP, everyone." The assassin gasped. His entire body was quivering now. The pressure that had built in his legs must have begun to grow unbearable. Soon, the muscles in his legs would fail.

"Who ordered it?" Sakura asked desperately. "Who is everyone?"

The assassin shook his head and his body began to shake. "I know nothing else. It's the truth."

The assassin let out a sharp gasp and his body flinched. Sakura could feel that she was holding up more of his weight than she had been holding before. His legs had probably finally given out. Releasing him, the assassin slumped to the ground, his legs remaining completely still. Sakura bit her lip before gingerly picking up the shotgun that had been lying unused on the ground. Walking around so that she was facing him, she pointed the gun at his stomach.

"You're telling the truth?" She asked. A part of her would be skeptical no matter his answer, yet she still felt the need to ask it.

The assassin's eyes were clouded over with what could have been pain, or just the loss of blood taking its toll on his body. His face was pale and sweaty. His rust colored hair was matted to his forehead with blood and sweat. "I'm just a worker...another cog in the machine." The assassin said through gritted teeth. "When I'm gone, another will come to take my place."

Sakura bit her lips again before pausing and pulling the gun away from the assassin. She wasn't going to get anything more out of him. Even if he did perhaps know more than he was telling her, she was never going to know what it was. She would make use of what little information she had gained. Backing away slowly, Sakura left the assassin groveling on the ground.

When Sakura had walked a couple of feet away, it suddenly hit her. The realization was so sudden that it left her gasping for breath.

What did she think would happen if she let the assassin alone in the woods? That he would simply waste away? That no one would ever find him? Should he die, and even that was a big if, someone would find him and an investigation would begin. One that would no doubt lead back to her father's shotgun. But if she left him and he survived...she would have no way of knowing. And he wouldn't let her be, he had been clear enough on that point. Even if she fled; went into hiding with Naruto, Sakura couldn't be naive about this. He would come after her parents and Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to protect them.

Never had she felt had decision weigh so heavily on her shoulders. There was doing what needed to be done on one side, and doing what was right on the other. Never before did Sakura think she would have to make a decision where need and right would be on two different sides.

When Sakura walked up to the assassin, he only smirked as he looked up at her. "Good girl."

* * *

**Random Fact:** Nara Shikamaru's father Shikaku worked in the same police district as Asuma until he was killed.


	19. Chapter 19

**You Wear Insanity Well  
**Rated: M for mature content and mostly language  
Disclaimer: If I owned anything here…well than I probably wouldn't be here…  
Summary: "I wouldn't ask this from you unless it was an emergency. Mind you, I still hate you, you bastard, but this isn't about me. Just help me please? Help me save my baby."

**Hey everyone. I know its been a while since I last updated and I'm sorry to say I have bad news. My muse with this story isn't exactly cooperating. I feel like it is dragging out and at this point, I'm not exactly sure where the story is going. I may come back to this story when I feel inspired again, but for now this is it. Enjoy what I managed to write for the next chapter and I apologize once again. **

* * *

019: Wake Me Up  
_(when I'm wiser and I'm older)_

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States  
11:23 UTC_

Sakura slumped onto a bench at the bus depot and wearily rubbed her bangs away from her face. Another bus screeched to a stop in front of her, billowing out grey smoke from the exhaust. The doors opened and a couple of people trickled out of the door, holding bags and suitcases. Sakura held none. As the people walked away, presumably off to greet loved ones or friends, the bus pulled away, leaving Sakura alone outside.

She was tired, and she suddenly felt dumb.

Three days ago, Sakura had been a different person. But now, there was blood on her hands and no matter how hard she tried, they would never be clean.

The gunshot had echoed through the woods. Sakura had shut her eyes when she pulled the trigger. Yet when she opened them, everything appeared the same. The forest was still silent, the night still dark. There was no blood – at least not any Sakura could see. The sirens never came for her like she half expected them to. She didn't regret her decision, not in the slightest. Nothing had changed, yet for Sakura, everything had.

She knew she couldn't leave the body, but at the same time, she knew she couldn't return home. Her parents were there, waiting for her. They had questions that Sakura knew she couldn't answer; they would want to know things Sakura didn't know. The Sakura from before; before the trigger was pulled, perhaps even before the forest, would have been scared. She wouldn't have known what to do. But this Sakura, this Sakura knew what she needed to do and she could see it with amazing clarity. She wasn't afraid, just tired.

The house was still silent when Sakura approached it, but she could easily picture her parents inside, anxiously waiting for her on the couch. Her father would have the phone in his hand, ready to dial 9-1-1. But Sakura knew that couldn't be an option, it could never be an option. The assassin had managed to unlatch one of the rickety basement windows that was closest to the Steinholtz's house. Perhaps he would have gone back and broken it later, after he had killed them, to make it look like a break-in. Sakura was by no means a contortionist, but she was small enough to fit through the window and land quietly on the floor. Above, she could hear the floor creaking, perhaps from her mother's anxious pacing. Grabbing a change of clothes, Sakura stuffed her pajamas in the laundry where Mrs. Haruno wouldn't find them until much later. She grabbed some provisions from the pantry and then stole back through the basement window.

After setting fire to the body, Sakura walked the rest of the morning to the city centre. The smell of burning flesh would likely haunt her forever.

A fifty dollar bill found in the assassin's pocket along with his phone and motel key had gotten Sakura out of Michigan and to Pittsburg. The assassin had no ID on him, but Sakura was sure that if he had, she wouldn't have been able to trust it was reporting his real name anyway. The extra 500 dollars that Sakura found in an envelope under the assassin's bed in his motel room had gotten Sakura from Pittsburg to Arlington with some still to spare. The bus from Arlington to Langley hadn't been expensive, but now that Sakura was here, she didn't know where else to go.

Neji Hyuuga had been her first and most obvious choice when she had been considering where to flee. But she also had neglected to acknowledge the fact that aside from the city, Sakura had no clue where he lived. And it was really no use having a phone when no one bothered to memorize phone numbers anymore. She would look it up in the phone book, but that seemed a problem on two different levels seeing as she had a hard time believing a CIA operative would list his address in the local phone book and that no public place had phone booths with phone books anymore – only smart phone charging stations.

Sakura closed her eyes and rested her head against the brick building at her back. It wasn't as cold here in Virginia as it had been in Michigan, but that was of little comfort. Sakura had only eaten snacks over the last three days and had barely gotten a day's worth of sleep.

As Sakura's eyes fluttered shut for a brief moment, she was suddenly struck with another moment of clarity. There was something that she could do, and if she could find her way to a public library or internet cafe, she knew she would be ok.

Stuffing her hands into her pockets, Sakura got up and walked inside the building.

* * *

_Rome, Italy  
13:45 UTC_

As Neji approached Hinata's room on the third floor, he realized he wasn't sure what to expect upon entering. There was a hastily scrawled _Uchiha _written on the name card that was placed under the room number on the wall. The door was partially closed and Neji stopped outside the door, unable to push the door open. There was a bouquet of daisies clenched in his hands, for Neji remembered that Hinata loved daisies.

Why was everything going wrong lately and why did it all seem like his fault? This questioned had racked Neji's brain quiet frequently since he spoke to Hanabi, but he still didn't have an answer for it. The practical, Hyuuga part of his brain told him that none of this was his fault and that no one could blame him for Hinata's condition. He knew in his heart that this was true, yet with all the things happening lately, this seemed like an eerie coincidence.

In fact, Neji couldn't even boast to be close to his cousin. They were always cordial with each other at family events, but they had never really gotten the chance to get to know one another. Hinata had always been too timid and too shy and Neji had always been too proud and too arrogant. It wasn't until they had picked similar career choices that they seemed to find new found respect for one another.

Neji could hear the television on the other side of the room and before he could psych himself out again, Neji nudged the door open with his free hand.

There was nothing scary about what he saw. Hinata was perched on her bed, clothed in a set of lavender flannel pajamas and a crème colored robe. There were no monitors, not even an IV drip. Hinata had what looked like a healing cut running across her forehead, but otherwise looked unharmed. Neji let out a sigh of relief and approached Hinata's bed.

"_Hi, Hinata." _Neji greeted as he set down the bouquet of daisies down on her table where they were surrounded by an assortment of other unusually bright flowers and _Get Well Soon _balloons.

Hinata turned slowly toward Neji and he was suddenly perturbed by the empty look in her pale eyes. _"Neji." _She greeted softly before turning back toward the television.

Neji found himself a spare chair and pulled it toward the bed, sitting down. _"How are you feeling, Hinata? Hanabi told me that you were in the hospital." _

"_I feel…fine, I think." _Said Hinata. _"The doctor said that my injuries are healing nicely. I can already move my arm without too much pain." _As if to demonstrate, she picked up her right arm and held it up for a moment.

"_That's good." _Said Neji, nodding his head. He gave a small smile and patted Hinata's hand. _"Has Sasuke come to visit you today?" _

A frown marred Hinata's face before evening out into a blank expression. _"My husband has not come in a few days." _She responded as she looked back toward the television.

Neji frowned. As much as he didn't like Sasuke, he knew the Uchiha was oddly devoted to Hinata and loved her more than anything. He couldn't be anything less than dying for him not to visit Hinata. But sensing Hinata's response, Neji figured it would be wise not to say anything. _"Did the doctor say when you could go home?" _He asked instead.

Hinata tilted her head to the side as if she were deep in thought. _"I…I don't know." _She finally said. _"The doctor said something, but I don't remember." _

Something _was _wrong, Neji could see that now. It wasn't like Hinata to forget things unless she had some sort of brain injury which Nei was fairly certain she didn't. And Hinata was acting strange. Not that Hinata was overly talkative or exuberant, but her mannerisms today were oddly lifeless and the blank stare on her face was disconcerting. Neji scratched his head and scanned the room, looking for something, anything that was out of place or could serve as some sort of clue…but there was nothing.

"_Mama was here though." _Said Hinata finally. _"She comes to visit every day. She's the only one…" _Hinata murmured.

Neji froze and his hands clenched into fists, but he tried to not to let the confusion and fear show on his face, lest he scare Hinata. _"Your mother?" _He inquired, his voice trying to remain level.

Hinata nodded her head serenely and Neji quickly stood up. _"I need to use the restroom. I'll be back." _Neji forced himself to smile and pat Hinata's hand before he all but darted from the room.

Leaning against the wall outside Hinata's room, Neji closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of air. There was definitely something terribly wrong with Hinata, some sort of mental condition that Neji had a hard time believing manifested from a minor car accident. If Hinata was talking about seeing her mother –someone Neji knew to be dead for quite some time, then her condition was more serious than Hanabi had let on.

Neji quickly calmed himself and approached the nurses' desk that was at the end of the hallway. There was only one nurse sitting behind the desk when Neji walked up. She was wearing glasses and a pair of purple scrubs and was currently typing something up on the computer. When Neji approached, she looked up expectantly and gave a slight smile.

"_May I help you?" _She asked.

Neji leaned against the counter. _"I was hoping you could tell me the status of Hinata Uchiha's condition?" _Neji asked. _"She's in room 510." _

"_You are family?" _The nurse inquired as she typed a few things into the computer.

"_Yes, her cousin." _Neji responded.

With a few clicks of the mouse, the nurse seemed to find what she was looking for. _"Mrs. Uchiha is on an indefinite stay." _Said the nurse, reading off the computer screen. _"The doctor has been monitoring her behavior every day." _

"_Monitoring her behavior?" _Neji repeated, his expression growing confused.

The nurse paused and then looked up at Neji, her expression a mixture of reservation and sympathy. She folded her hands in front of her. _"Mr…" _

"_Hyuuga." _Neji supplied.

The nurse gave a short smile before continuing. _"Upon suggestion by her attending doctor and approval by her husband, Mrs. Uchiha was admitted to this psych ward a couple days ago. So far, we are unaware of the cause her hallucinations and mental instability, but the doctor is doing the best that he can." _

Neji's expression remained neutral as the nurse divulged this information, but his heart had begun to beat quickly. So it was just as bad as he thought. Murmuring his thanks, Neji pushed away from the desk and walked slowly back down the hall toward Hinata's room. How could this have happened? For generations, the Hyuuga family had always been of sound mind, when ambition and greed didn't sour their personalities. What could Hinata have done to cause this?

Neji stopped short outside Hinata's room, once again unable to bring himself to go inside. He ran a hand through his hair and covered his face with his hands.

"_Sir?" _

Neji quickly looked up and found a young male nurse standing in front of him. He was holding a tray with a glass of water and what looked like an assortment of pills in a small dish. The expression he had was one of mild concern. _"I was just going to give Mrs. Uchiha her medication. Were you going to go inside?"_

* * *

_Langley, Virginia, United States_  
_12:43 UTC_

"Tenten." Said Sakura dumbfoundedly as she stared through the open window of a black SUV. She hoped that the dismay and confusion didn't show through in her voice.

Hands clamped on the steering wheel, Tenten, dressed in a red pea coat with a scarf wrapped around her neck stared at Sakura expectantly through the open passenger side window. There was a slight smile on her beautiful face, but it was as if she could sense Sakura's discomfort. "I've enjoyed the little greeting cards." Tenten said, turning to face forward. "But considering they are all addressed to my husband, I've been feeling a little left out."

Sakura looked at Tenten sheepishly. She didn't know what to say.

"Well, get in." Said Tenten, beckoning Sakura inside with her head. "I'm not going to leave you standing in the cold."

Sakura stood rooted to the spot for a few more moments before she finally stepped forward and opened the car door, getting inside. Tenten's foot was off the break and on the gas the moment Sakura's door slammed shut and she was quickly zooming off down a side street and away from the library where Sakura had just come from.

"No phone?" Tenten asked, her question unexpected as she turned off a side street and onto a busier avenue.

Sakura looked at her in surprise. "I know, we haven't made things easy." Tenten joked. "We aren't listed in the phone books, but then again, there's hardly a payphone left in the city."

"Resourceful though," Tenten continued, "Remembering Neji's email address…"

Sakura stared at Tenten in confusion. This wasn't the same Tenten that she had remembered meeting in Italy those many months ago. That Tenten had seemed innocent, lovely and perhaps had a quick tongue. And while this Tenten was just as lovely, for some reason, her innocence had been replaced with something that Sakura couldn't quite describe. She seemed on edge and not at all left in the dark as Sakura first made her out to be.

Tenten dodged around a few cars that she must have deemed as moving too slowly. Sakura found herself gripping the handle on the door and being reminded all too well of Naruto's driving.

"I wasn't what you were expecting." Said Tenten finally.

Sakura looked at her. "No." She finally admitted. "I was hoping that Neji would have come. I sort of…need his help." That had been her intention in the first place, to find Neji so that he could help her and Naruto out of the predicament that he had unknowingly started. Tenten's presence was a bit of a letdown but Sakura didn't want to admit as much.

"Neji's gone." Tenten informed her. "He left not that long ago."

Sakura's head whipped toward Tenten, her eyes wide and despondent. Tenten glanced at her and gave her a sympathetic tilt of the head. "You look like you could use a hot cup of coffee." She said after a moment.

Tenten's driving turned less daring as she approached a small strip mall located off a busy street. Clearly, she had no patience for other drivers as a few times, Sakura heard her muttering in some language – presumably Chinese – under her breath. But at least Sakura found she no longer had to grip the door handle.

After stealing a parking space from someone else, Tenten and Sakura entered a Starbucks that was already bustling with patrons. It was warm and comforting inside, with the smell of ground coffee beans and vanilla permeating the air. Sakura ordered the largest and strongest coffee she could find on the menu before she and Tenten made their way toward the back of the café where they would be less likely to be overheard by the other patrons.

"You've been through a lot." Said Tenten. Sakura looked up from picking at her rice krispie and noticed that Tenten was staring at her with scrutiny.

Sakura sighed and took a long sip of her coffee. She could instantly feel the warm liquid travelling down her throat and into her stomach, chasing away the cold. "You could say that."

Tenten sighed and looked at Sakura wistfully before placing her own hand over Sakura's. "I know…that we don't know each other well." Said Tenten. "And I know you were hoping my husband could help you with whatever it is, but maybe I can help instead." She offered.

Sakura glanced at Tenten and managed a smile. "That's really kind of you to offer, but I'm just not sure you can."

"Try me." Tenten challenged.

Sakura paused. She could sense that Tenten was a strong willed woman and it seemed like not much surprised her, but would she be ready for what Sakura had to tell her? Sakura didn't think she would be able to admit to anyone what she had done, save Naruto.

"Have you ever killed someone?" Sakura closed her eyes and shook her head as the words left her mouth. "I'm sorry." She murmured, rubbing her eyes with her hand. "I..."

"I have." Said Tenten simply.

Sakura dropped her hands away from her eyes and stared at Tenten. "You have?" She asked incredibly.

Tenten looked at Sakura and a small smile crossed her lips. "I'm not the...normal civilian I've made myself out to be since marrying Neji." Tenten explained.

Sakura realized that she actually knew nothing about Tenten Hyuuga. Aside from their brief meeting at the Uchiha manor where they both attended Sasuke's party and when Sakura updated Tenten about their foolhardy plan to storm the ITP headquarters, Sakura had never really spoken with Tenten. She did recall that Tenten hadn't made much of a fuss or had even seemed confused when Sakura spoke with her in her hotel room, which in hindsight was quite odd. Sakura wondered if she had a habit of befriending people who were more than they seemed.

"Neji never told you how we met?" Tenten asked as she spun her cup of tea around on the table.

Admittedly, Sakura hadn't really spoken with Neji since Sasuke and Hinata's wedding. Almost embarrassed, Sakura shook her head no.

"Well let's see." Said Tenten, glancing up. "Neji was CIA and one of those annoying know-it-all kind of bastards. Not much has changed since then." Sakura had to crack a smile.

"And I hadn't been in America all that long. Six months maybe, _barely _knew English." Tenten continued. "I was waiting at the bar in some fancy casino, waiting for a business client when Neji showed up."

"He said that he that he had a proposition for me. He said that I could work for him, by telling him everything that I knew. He would protect me, but if I refused, he would find some way to throw me in jail. Charming isn't he?" Tenten asked, an amused smile on her face.

Sakura frowned. "I…don't understand." She said slowly. "What did you do?"

"I was trafficking in weapons for one the biggest gangs in Hong Kong." Said Tenten. "And I was quite good at it." Watching Sakura, Tenten seemed to get a kick as Sakura's face fell from her revelation.

Sakura remained silent, but Tenten could see the myriad of emotions playing out in her wide green eyes. "I've never told anyone that." Tenten mused quietly, the smile fading from her face. "I never _could _tell anyone."

"Why tell me?" Sakura finally managed. "You don't know me."

Tenten shrugged as she glanced at the new customers coming in the door. "I don't know. But I know that Neji trusts you. So _I _trust you. And I don't trust easily."

Sakura took a sip of her coffee. Trust seemed like a heavy thing nowadays.

"You don't have to tell me what you did." Said Tenten. "But I know how you must feel. The weight that sits on your heart, after you've taken a life will never go away, but it can lessen with time. I should know, I have more blood on my hands than you." Said Tenten solemnly.

Sakura looked at Tenten, viewing her in a new light.

"If you'll let me." Tenten continued. "I think I would like to help you."


End file.
